Warriors Paws of Magic
by Cloudy Dreamcatcher
Summary: Three siblings travel to the ancient Clans after receiving a prophecy. Flame and her siblings, Star and Oak, join ThunderClan, where the prophecy led them. Secrets are everywhere, and Shadowkit is stuck in the middle of them. An exciting adventure of danger, battles, friendship, and everything in between.
1. Allegiances

_The Warrior Clans_

Warriors

 **Paws of Magic**

By Flameheart88

Cats in the woods…

ThunderClan

Leader **Maplestar** **-** Cream colored tabby she-cat, hazel eyes.

 **Apprentice** -Greenpaw

Deputy **Shiningstream** \- Blue-gray she cat with yellow eyes.

Medicine Cat **Redpelt-** Russet colored tom with green eyes.

Apprentice- Skypaw

Warriors **Tawnywillow-** Dark brown tabby tom with pale

green eyes.

 **Wormwiggle-** Pinkish-white tom with long legs and

blue eyes.

 **Spottedriver-** Light gray tabby she-cat with white

Spots and blue eyes

 **Blacksnow-** Black she-cat with white paws.

Apprentice- Sunpaw

 **Rushingwater-** Dark gray tabby tom, blue eyes.

 **Raincloud-** Gray-white she-cat with yellow eyes.

Apprentice- Moonpaw

 **Sunnyfire-** Yellow tabby she-cat, leaf-green eyes.

 **Grasswind-** White and brown tabby tom, green eyes.

Apprentice- Ravenpaw

 **Smallfoot-** Pale orange tom with very small paws.

Queens **Whitepoppy-** White she-cat with yellow eyes. (Mother to

Lightkit, brown tabby tom, almost six moons. Father,

Tawnywillow.)

 **Dawnstreak-** Yellow and brown spotted she cat, orange eyes. (Mother to Cloudkit, white she-cat, Crimsonkit,

Brown tom, Windkit, yellow and brown streaked tabby she-cat.

five moons. Father, Wormwiggle)

 **Nettlesting-** Dusky brown she-cat with green

eyes. (Mother to Waterkit, silver-gray she-cat, Bluekit, blue gray she-cat, Swiftkit, brown tom, Goldkit, golden brown she-cat.

Three moons, father, Rushingwater.)

 **Tigerleaf-** Young brown tabby queen, dark green eyes.

(Kits almost due.)

Apprentices **Greenpaw-** Black tabby tom with dark green eyes.

 **Ravenpaw-** Black tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes.

(Blacksnow and Grasswind's kits.)

 **Sunpaw-** Dark orange tom with yellow eyes.

 **Moonpaw-** Silver she-cat with pale blue eyes.

 **Skypaw-** Silver she-cat with dark blue eyes.

(Raincloud and Smallfoot's kits.)

Elders **Bramblethorn-** Dark brown tabby tom with black . stripes and yellow eyes.

 **Dandelionstem-** Dark yellow tom with orange eyes.

 **Marigoldpetal-** Blind orangish she-cat, white paws.


	2. Prolouge

A _small, orange tabby_ she-cat sat silently watching as glinting pink sparks rose off her small body and were swept away by the chill night wind. Beside her sat two other cats, staring worriedly at the colorful sparks drifting off them.

"When will the magic come back?" asked one of the two cats, a midnight black she-cat. "How will we fight danger without it?"

"Susanna told us it would come back, Star. Be patient, and remember her prophecy." meowed the orange tabby. She then repeated it to Star. "Magic will rain from the paws of three cats when a smoke colored warrior rules the forest."

"That _is_ the forest where the four clans live, Flame?" asked the other of the two cats, a tortoiseshell tom. "Thunderclan, Windclan, Riverclan, and Shadowclan?"

"Yes, Oak." replied Flame. "But Windclan lives on the moors, and Riverclan in more open land by the river."

"Ya, and this is called Highstones." meowed Star wisely. Flame paused to look at her, then blinked thoughtfully.

"What a strange name!" Flame remarked. Oak and Star nodded in agreement. "Where shall we spend the night?" Flame then asked.

"I spotted a cavern that runs under Highstones." Oak meowed cheerily. "It looks like a good way to go. We could travel to the clans tomorrow at sunhigh."

"If we did we would reach them by night." Star groaned.

"Well, I think we should go with Oak's plan." Flame meowed finally. There was some mumbling from Star, but soon they were at the tunnel entrance.

"This is called Mothermouth." meowed Star, the smartest of the group. She padded in first, Flame right behind her. Oak followed them closely. "Let's spend the night here." Star gasped, finally getting out of the dark tunnel and into a pitch black cavern.

"It must be almost moonhigh," remarked Oak. "Let's sleep." Just then a bright light lit up the cavern. A huge stone in the middle of the cavern reflected the brilliant moonlight, till all their fur shone silver. Stunned, but still tired, the three littermates settled down, their nose tips touching the surface of the cold, hard rock.


	3. The Adventure Begins

A full moon was rising in the sky as Flame, Oak, and Star padded noiselessly through the undergrowth. The night before, they had spent the night in a cavern under a place called Highstones. As soon as Flame and her siblings had touched the stone in the middle of the cavern, she had been swept away by claws of cold air. When she had opened her eyes, she saw countless starry cats in front of her. One purple-gray she-cat had stepped out of the ranks, telling Flame she was called Violetcloud. Then Violetcloud had simply repeated Susanna's prophecy to her. Flame thought it over in her head as they padded through the forest.

Magic will rain from the paws of three cats when a smoke colored warrior rules the forest.

After they had left Highstones, they had met a loner, who told them where the territories for each clan were. Now they were traveling through the forest, hopefully about to meet one of the clans. Thunderclan. It was moonhigh by now, and Flame and her siblings were exhausted. "Let's stop for the night, Flame." meowed Star. The pitch-black she-cat was dragging her tail in the dirt, and Oak was no better.

Flame meowed agreement, and soon they came to a large clearing. They couldn't get through the wall of gorse bushes surrounding the clearing, so they jumped easily onto overhanging tree branches, falling lightly into the sheltered clearing.

The three cats spread out and Flame saw many good places for them to sleep, but before she could ask her siblings what they thought, she heard Star meow quietly, "Over here!"

As Flame and Oak padded over to see what Star discovered, Flame picked up a strong scent of Thunderclan. Soon they came to the place Star had found. It was a crack in a huge rock, towering many tail-lengths above their heads.

Flame saw Star walk through a hanging curtain of lichen, and she followed her, Oak right behind her. Through the curtain was an area big enough for all three cats. "A cat has been here before us," meowed Oak thoughtfully.

They settled down for the night, and in a few moments, the sleepy Flame had drifted off to sleep.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my den?" Flame blinked sleepily, then when she saw the angry she-cat that was shrieking in her face, she jumped to her feet. Standing before her was a lithe, fierce looking queen with cream colored fur and hazel eyes. Oak and Star were already awake, staring horrified at the newcomer. "I asked who you are!" spat the cream colored cat.

"U-um… I'm Flame, and these are my siblings Oak and Star." Flame stuttered, stunned. "We were sent here to protect the clans from a smoke colored warrior."

"Wait, you said she's called Star?" the cat said, gesturing to the small black she-cat. "She's a clan leader?"

"What? No!" exclaimed Star.

"Then why is your name Star?"

"That's just my name! We're from far, far away. We traveled for three moons to get here!" meowed Star indignantly.

The creamy she-cat let out a gasp of surprise. "Three moons? That's a whole season! You traveled all of leaf-fall to get here?"

"This is Thunderclan, right?" continued Star.

"Yes," meowed the stranger cautiously.

"We need to speak to your clan leader. Do you know where we can find him?" Flame interrupted.

"Yes, Flame." meowed the cat. "For one thing, the clan leader is a she-cat. For another thing, she's standing right in front of you."

"You're the clan leader!" exclaimed Oak. "What's your name?"

"Maplestar." she meowed. "Anyway, first you need to come out of my den. Second, I need to make sure you're not intruders from Windclan." Star, Oak, and finally Flame stepped out of the cozy den under the rock.

"Shiningstream!" Maplestar called. A blue-gray she-cat bounded over to join them. When she saw Flame, Star, and Oak, she stopped short. She hissed, and the fur on her shoulders bristled.

"Intruders!" She shrieked. Shiningstream then bowled over Oak, and they rolled together, hissing and spitting. "Maplestar? What's going on?" she said, breaking apart from Oak after seeing her clan leader wasn't following in the battle.

"Shiningstream," Maplestar meowed. "These are not intruders. They traveled for a whole season to help the clans."

"Help us with what?" the blue-gray she-cat meowed.

Maplestar turned to look at the three small cats. "What are you here to help us with, Flame?"

Flame blinked uneasily, not liking to have to be the one to talk to Thunderclan's leader. "Well, we had a friend back where we came from." she began. "Her name was Susanna. She told us a prophecy." At these words, Shiningstream and Maplestar exchanged an awed glance.

"What was the prophecy?" asked Maplestar. "Was it about Thunderclan directly? Is that why you came to our camp?"

"The prophecy was, 'Magic will rain from the paws of three cats when a smoke colored warrior rules the forest.' And we didn't know this was your camp. We just needed a sleeping place. We're sorry for the intrusion. We can leave now if you want." Flame finished, depressed

"No, don't go." meowed Maplestar. "I think I know this 'smoke colored warrior'."

"You do?" asked Star, turning to look at her.

"Yes, Star. He is Shadowclan's leader, Stormstar. He has been stealing our prey and territory for a moon now. Have you come across the other clans?"

"No." Oak replied promptly "Only a loner living in a barn. He told us the clan territories and boundaries."

"Good." meowed Maplestar. "And the loner you met was called Sticky. All the clans know him well." Maplestar then looked the three cats over.

"You must only be seven moons!" exclaimed Shiningstream. "You're barely out of kithood!" By now, more cats had crowded around the three newcomers. A pinkish-white tom was peering curiously at them, while a white queen was keeping her kit away, eventually taking him by the scruff and dragging him into a big gorse bush, which Flame guessed was the nursery.

"Would you like to join Thunderclan?" Maplestar asked unexpectedly. "If you prove your loyalty we will make you apprentices." Star, Oak, and Flame glanced at each other excitedly. A flicker of unease was in Star's blue gaze.

Oak and Star looked expectantly at Flame. "Give me a bit of time to think it over, please, Maplestar." she meowed quietly.

"You have until sunhigh then." meowed Maplestar briskly. "Let me call some of my warriors to show you around our camp. They will also explain the way of the clans to you."

Maplestar flicked her tail to three big cats and a small one, sitting with their fur fluffed up against the leaf-bare wind. "Tawnywillow, Spottedriver, Grasswind, Rushingwater! Show these three cats around the camp. They are thinking about becoming apprentices here."

The four cats that had come to show them around looked thoroughly puzzled. Still, they padded over and nodded respectfully to their leader. One of them, a dark brown tabby, nudged them to their paws. "Come on then," he meowed gruffly, "Let's take you around."

Another cat, a dark gray tabby, asked them what their names were. "I'm Flame," Flame meowed, "and these are my littermates, Star and Oak."

The third cat, a white and brown tabby, looked them over then said, "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

"No." Oak answered. "So what are your names?"

The gray tabby stepped forward. "I'm Rushingwater." He meowed briskly.

The brown tabby meowed, "And I'm Tawnywillow."

Then the white and brown tabby hastily meowed, "I'm Grasswind."

An elegant gray she-cat padded forward. White speckles dotted her sleek body. "My name is Spottedriver." she meowed calmly. "Welcome to Thunderclan."

"T-thank you." Flame stammered. "So where are we going to go first?" Grasswind began to lead the patrol of cats.

"Why don't we show them the gorse tunnel?" asked Tawnywillow. "And then they can see the Highrock and leader's den." Grasswind nodded and began to lead the cats toward a narrow tunnel of gorse at one end of the clearing.

"This is the gorse tunnel." Whispered Rushingwater in Flame's ear. It's to keep intruders out. I guess it didn't work on you.' He added with a purr.

"How did you three get into the camp anyway?" questioned Grasswind. "Wormwiggle was guarding the entrance!"

"We jumped into the tree branches and then down into the clearing." meowed Star as they approached a huge rock, many tail-lengths high, jutting out toward the sky.

"Clever." added Spottedriver. "This is highrock. It's where Maplestar goes to call the clan cats together when there is a meeting. Her den is underneath, in that crack in the rock." Oak gasped in awe.

The patrol padded on, until they reached a fern tunnel. "This is the medicine cat's den." It was Tawnywillow speaking this time. "Why don't we take you to meet him?"

They walked through the fern tunnel where there was a sheltered area, and a crack in a rock next to it, where there were herbs stored everywhere. A russet colored tom padded out to meet them. "Who's this?" He meowed suspiciously. "Enemies?"

"No, Redpelt." meowed Spottedriver. "These three cats are from far away. They might become apprentices here.

"Well, I suppose we always need new apprentices." meowed Redpelt hesitantly. "What are their names?"

"Flame, Star, and Oak." meowed Tawnywillow. "Where's Skypaw?" He added.

"Away gathering herbs. Windkit has a stomach-ache." Redpelt answered.

"Who's Skypaw?" asked Star,

"Redpelt's apprentice." answered Grasswind. "All apprentices' names end with 'paw'. "

"And kits' names end with 'kit'." added Rushingwater. "And clan leaders' end with 'star.'"

"That's cool!" meowed Oak. "Oh, and when can we see Skypaw?"

"Maybe when she gets back from gathering her herbs." answered Redpelt.

"Can we see any other apprentices?" meowed Flame hopefully. Suddenly the ferns around them rustled and a pretty silver she-cat padded towards the crevice in the rock where the herbs were stored, more clamped in her jaws.

"Who's this?" she asked. The fur on her neck bristled. "Are they intruders from another clan?" Spottedriver glanced at the silver cat worriedly.

"No, Skypaw." she meowed. "These three cats are from far away, and are thinking about becoming apprentices. The silver cat who was Skypaw warily introduced herself. The three siblings returned her greeting.

Skypaw glanced at them one more time, then turned to speak to her mentor, "Redpelt, here's the watermint. I also found a few juniper berries, and there's some yarrow in the den."

Redpelt nodded in acknowledgement, then took up some of the berries and padded over to a big gorse bush. Rushingwater then turned to look at the newcomers. "Now we can see the warriors den." he meowed. "That's where I sleep, with the other warriors."

"We sleep there too." added Grasswind. The group went to look at a bush where a few cats slept. "This is the warriors den." announced Grasswind again.

They then headed to a fallen tree, pushing their way through branches till they reached an opening. "This is the elders den." Tawnywillow told them. "Retired warriors live here for the rest of their seasons. You can meet Bramblethorn, Marigoldpetal, and Dandelionstem."

The sun was rising higher into the sky. Flame, her siblings, and the clan cats were seeing the last spot in the camp. As they padded toward the nursery, Flame saw other cats peeking curiously at them. A pale orange tom and a yellow tabby were watching them intently. "Now, you can go in one at a time. We have a lot of queens at the moment. It'll be super cramped if we all go in. " Rushingwater commented. "Star, you first.

Star slipped into the nursery. Flame could hear her explaining herself to an angry queen. A little while later, Star came out. "The kits were so cute! And there were so many of them!" exclaimed Star.

Oak went after Star, and soon enough, it was Flame's turn. As she squeezed through the thorns, she saw four queens. "Hello." called a white cat. "You must be Flame. I'm Whitepoppy. This is Lightkit. He's going to be an apprentice soon." This queen sounded friendly. Flame meowed a greeting.

Another queen, spotted brown and yellow, also meowed hello. "I'm Dawnstreak." she told Flame. "These are my kits Cloudkit, Crimsonkit, and Windkit." Flame remembered the name Windkit.

"Didn't Windkit have a stomachache?" Flame asked.

"Yes." she answered. "I suppose you heard Redpelt talking about it? He feels better now."

"That's great." Flame purred.

She turned to the next she-cat, a dusky brown cat with bright green eyes. "I am Nettlesting." She had four kits. "Their names are Goldkit, Waterkit, Bluekit, and Swiftkit." she told Flame "They're three moons."

The last queen, a brown tabby with dark green eyes, meowed, "My name is Tigerleaf. Redpelt says my kits should be here any day now!" Tigerleaf purred.

Later, when Flame squeezed out of the nursery after the farewells of the queens, she heard a cat padding up behind her. Flame turned around. "Maplestar?" she exclaimed. Maplestar twitched her tail. Star and Oak were trotting behind her.

"I've spoken to your siblings." Maplestar meowed. "They are willing to become apprentices of Thunderclan." Star kneaded the ground nervously, while Oak glanced around uneasily.

"You guys agreed?" questioned Flame. "Well, I've been thinking about it... "

"Please Flame!" pleaded Oak.

"Alright." meowed Flame. "I'll do it."

"It's settled then. I'll tell the clan." Maplestar conceded. She padded over to the highrock, and in one graceful leap, was on the top. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" she yowled.

Cats began to appear from the dens around them. Flame recognized Redpelt and Skypaw, and two other apprentices padded over to join them. Bramblethorn, Dandelionstem, and Marigoldpetal emerged from the elders den. Two older apprentices padded over to join Skypaw. Shiningstream sat beneath the highrock, and Tawnywillow, Spottedriver, Grasswind, and Rushingwater came out of the warriors den later.

Tigerleaf padded out of the nursery, with Nettlesting supporting her. Dawnstreak and Whitepoppy followed behind, the kits on their tails. More warriors appeared from the bramble bush, A pinkish-white tom, and a pale orange tom.

The brambles at the entrance to the camp rustled, and a patrol slid out carrying fresh-kill. A black she-cat with white paws padded to chat with Shiningstream. A gray-white she cat set down her vole, a yellow tabby just behind her.

Once all the cats were there, Maplestar began to speak. "As some of you already know, three young cats have arrived in our clan. They wish to become apprentices. I have agreed." A ripple of disbelief passed through the cats, but the queens, kits, elders, and Redpelt murmured encouragement. "Now, I also have a few more ceremonies to do. We will start, by making Flame, Oak, and Star apprentices." Maplestar continued.

"Flame, Oak, Star, come forward." she meowed. Flame padded forward, her pelt brushing Oak's.

Maplestar addressed them. "You have chosen to become apprentices of Thunderclan. Oak, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Oakpaw." Pride shone in Oakpaw's eyes. "Smallfoot, you trained Grasswind and are ready to take on another apprentice. Pass all the skill you used in teaching Grasswind to mentor Oakpaw." Smallfoot, the pale orange cat, padded forward. Oakpaw looked confused.

"We have to touch noses!" hissed Smallfoot. Oakpaw clumsily touched his new mentor's nose.

"Star," Maplestar began again. "From this day forward, you will be known as Starpaw. Your mentor will be Tawnywillow." Starpaw touched noses with Tawnywillow gracefully. Her pelt prickling with excitement.

Finally, Maplestar called Flame's name. "From this day forward you will be known as Flamepaw. Your mentor will be Spottedriver." Flamepaw was happy with Maplestar's choice. She liked the pretty she-cat. Flamepaw gently touched noses with Spottedriver.

"Welcome to Thunderclan." she whispered.

Then all the cats began calling their new names. "Flamepaw! Starpaw! Oakpaw!" Flamepaw was ready to burst with excitement. She couldn't wait till her first day of warrior training. She went to sit by Oakpaw and Starpaw as Maplestar began another ceremony.

Flamepaw heard a squeak of excitement. She turned to see Lightkit, fully groomed bouncing up and down on his paws. Maplestar called him forward and then apprenticed him to Wormwiggle. Flamepaw and her siblings joined in calling his new name. "Lightpaw! Lightpaw!"

"Finally," Maplestar meowed, "Two of our apprentices are ready to become warriors. Greenpaw! Ravenpaw!" The two older apprentices stepped forward. A black tabby with green eyes which Flamepaw guessed was Greenpaw, and a black tabby with pale blue eyes.

"I, Maplestar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Greenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." meowed Greenpaw happily.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Greenpaw from this moment on you will be known as Greenstripe. Starclan honors your courage and your kindness,

and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan." Maplestar finished.

"Ravenpaw." Maplestar meowed. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do " Ravenpaw meowed solemnly.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Ravenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ravenwing. Starclan honors your compassion and speed, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan.

"Ravenwing! Greenstripe! Lightpaw! Oakpaw! Starpaw! Flamepaw!" The clan called their names.

"Tonight you will guard the camp while sitting silent vigil." Maplestar told Ravenwing and Greenstripe. "It will end at dawn." The newest warriors nodded, and took their place guarding the entrance. The cats began to disperse, but the other two apprentices who sat by Skypaw rushed over to them.

"I'm Sunpaw," meowed a dark orange tom with yellow eyes. The other cat, a silver she-cat with blue eyes, informed them that her name was Moonpaw.

"We'll show you where you can make your nests!" meowed Moonpaw kindly. "Sunpaw, fetch Lightpaw. We have a spot for him too."

"Is Skypaw your sister?" Oakpaw asked Moonpaw.

"Yes, she is."

"Why isn't she training to be a warrior?" wondered Oakpaw.

"She chose the path of a medicine cat and was apprenticed to Redpelt." Answered Moonpaw casually.

"Are there any rules when you're becoming a medicine cat?" meowed Starpaw.

"Well, you can't have a mate."

"That stinks." added Flamepaw.

"Ya, I could never do it." meowed Moonpaw. "It was very brave of Skypaw to." Just then Sunpaw ran up, Lightpaw at his tail.

"Come on. Let's show you the nests." meowed Sunpaw. The apprentices followed Sunpaw and Moonpaw to their new den. Whitepoppy, Lightpaw's mother, ran up and licked his ear.

"Goodnight, Lightpaw." Whitepoppy told the small brown tabby. Then she padded away.

Inside the apprentice's den were six mossy nests. Sunpaw flicked his tail to two in the back. "Those are ours." he meowed.

Moonpaw prodded the moss on a nest with her paw. "This one was Greenpaw's, and that one there was Ravenpaw's." Moonpaw nudged Oakpaw and Starpaw. "You two can sleep in those."

Sunpaw touched two newer nests with the tip of his tail. "Flamepaw and Lightpaw, you can sleep here." he informed them. Moonpaw and Sunpaw then settled into their nests at the back. Starpaw and Oakpaw went into their nests, and a second later, Lightpaw and Flamepaw were in their moss-lined nests.

"Goodnight." mumbled Sunpaw sleepily. Starpaw, Oakpaw, Moonpaw and Lightpaw also murmured goodnight, as did Flamepaw. Soon she was fast asleep.


	4. Warrior In Training

**Chapter 2**

 _Flamepaw was jerked from her_ dream by a paw prodding her side. "Go away, Bounce." she mumbled, half-asleep. But it was not her mother who spoke to her.

"Who's Bounce? Are you okay, Flamepaw?" Flamepaw blinked open her eyes and saw an orange tabby staring down at her.

"Ollie?" she asked, confused. "Is that you?"

A shape stirred beside her. A tortoiseshell paw landed on her tail. "Flamepaw! We're in Thunderclan, remember?" Flamepaw looked at the orange cat again, and recognized it as Sunpaw. "We have to go explore the territory with our mentors." Oak meowed.

"Moonpaw and I are coming with you." added Sunpaw. "Our mentors are waiting outside." Flamepaw stretched, embarrassed.

"Where are Starpaw, Lightpaw and Moonpaw?" she asked. She began to wash herself as Sunpaw answered.

"Outside." he meowed. "We should be meeting them."

"Can we eat first?" Oakpaw asked. "I'm starving."

"We'll have to ask our mentors." replied Sunpaw. The cats padded out of the den. Flamepaw meowed a greeting to Moonpaw, and Starpaw brushed pelts with the young Lightpaw. The six mentors sat outside. Spottedriver was sitting with Wormwiggle, Lightpaw's mentor.

Tawnywillow, Starpaw's mentor, and Smallfoot, Oakpaw's, were sharing tongues. This was a ritual she had heard Sunpaw explaining to Oakpaw. It was a friendly thing to do. Two other cats Flamepaw had seen yesterday were there. Sunpaw told her his mentor was Blacksnow, the black she-cat with white paws, and Moonpaw explained her mentor was Raincloud, the silver-white she-cat.

"You apprentices must be hungry." meowed Raincloud with a suspicious glance at the newcomers. "Go to the fresh-kill pile and eat something, quickly. We'll leave as soon as you get back."

Flamepaw, Oakpaw, and Starpaw followed the other apprentices to the fresh-kill pile. Moonpaw selected a thrush, Sunpaw was already gobbling down a vole. Lightpaw shared a small rabbit with Starpaw. Oakpaw pawed out a mouse, and Flamepaw settled for a squirrel. Flamepaw gobbled her meal down in a few ravenous bites. As soon as the six apprentices were done, they rushed back to their mentors.

"Watch out!" yowled Sunpaw, bumping into Lightpaw and thrusting him out of the way of a gaping rabbit hole. The young brown tabby apprentice looked down at his paws.

"Sorry." he mumbled almost indistinguishably. The patrol had been in the woods since sunhigh, and Flamepaw's paws were sore and raw. First they had headed to Tallpines, and Flamepaw had seen Twolegplace. Then they had seen Snakerocks, where Moonpaw had saved Starpaw from a vicious adder.

The Great Sycamore had come next, and Lightpaw had shown off his climbing skills by dashing partway up the tree till Wormwiggle called him back down.

About halfway through their journey, they had reached a wide black strip running across the ground. An acrid tang rose off from it. Oakpaw had darted towards it to touch it, when a huge glittering creature had swept past, nearly crashing into him.

"Get back, Oakpaw!" Smallfoot had shouted, "You'll get run over by a monster!" After that scare, Oakpaw had stayed with the group. The next place they had reached was called Fourtrees. Four great oaks rose to the sky, while a jagged rock called the Great Rock was where the clan leaders had gatherings every full moon.

Then they passed by the gorge, a ravine of sheer rock walls with tumbling water and jagged rocks below. Flamepaw and the other apprentices made sure to steer clear of the treacherous waters.

Now the Owl Tree loomed overhead, mouse skeletons littered the ground, along with barfed up owl pellets. Lightpaw still looked embarrassed from his near fall. Sunpaw was watching him closely. "What can we do when we get back?" Moonpaw asked her mentor, Raincloud.

"We'll show Flamepaw, Lightpaw, Starpaw, and Oakpaw how to do a hunting crouch." answered Raincloud. "We might be able to try it later." The patrol then got to a patch of large, smooth, sun-warmed rocks.

"These are Sunningrocks." explained Tawnywillow. "Riverclan is always trying to take them from us." he continued grumpily.

"What's that place in the distance?" asked Lightpaw. "It has a smell like the Thunderpath!"

"That's the Treecut Place." Spottedriver told him. "Don't worry about it." She paused, watching the patrol get in front of her till Flamepaw padded near. "We're coming to the Sandy Hollow. That's where we do battle training." Spottedriver explained to her apprentice.

Sure enough, soon they reached a sandy dip in the forest floor. "Here," Blacksnow meowed to the patrol. "Let's show the new apprentices the hunting crouch."

Flamepaw watched intently as Blacksnow dropped into a crouch, her haunches wiggled as she carefully padded towards a squirrel without making a sound.

She pounced and landed right on top of her prey, and quickly nipped its neck. "You try, Flamepaw." Blacksnow ordered, angling her ears toward a vole nibbling on an acorn.

Flamepaw copied what Blacksnow had done, lashing her tail excitedly. "Keep your tail still!" Hissed her mentor. Flamepaw padded forward, wincing when she stepped on a dead leaf, which crackled beneath the weight of her paw.

The vole stayed still. Flamepaw rocked her haunches back and forth, then sprang, catching the vole's tail with a paw. She flashed the other paw out and hooked the creature, before neatly nipping its neck as Blacksnow had done.

Her first catch! "That was great, Flamepaw!" Starpaw praised her. "Well done!"

"That was impressive, Flamepaw," Spottedriver told her.

"Flamepaw, great job!" called Oakpaw. "That was amazing.

"Nice work," meowed Moonpaw. "You're gonna be a great hunter, one day."

"First try?" asked Sunpaw. "That was good, but I could do better!" He joked.

Lightpaw just looked stunned. "Do I have to catch something today, too?" He asked, his brown tabby fur spiking in anxiety. His mentor, Wormwiggle, calmed him.

"Don't worry, Lightpaw." Wormwiggle told his apprentice. "Not many hunters catch something on their first try, it's not a requirement." Lightpaw looked relieved.

pic"Grab that vole, Flamepaw, let's head back to camp." called Smallfoot, king up two mice he'd been hunting. The patrol headed back to camp. Smallfoot with his mice, Tawnywillow empty jawed, Spottedriver with a fat rabbit. Blacksnow and Raincloud padded behind them, each clutching a thrush. Wormwiggle trotted past them, also having no luck with the water vole he'd been trying to catch.

Next came the apprentices. Sunpaw with a shrew, and Moonpaw carrying a blackbird. Flamepaw's vole was dangling from her jaws. Starpaw and Oakpaw had nothing, but Lightpaw had recently killed the water vole he was carrying.

The cats padded through the entrance to the camp, dropping their prey on the fresh-kill pile, restocking it. "Take that rabbit to the nursery, Starpaw." Tawnywillow called to his apprentice. "When you're done see Redpelt for that thorn in your pad." Starpaw rushed off dragging the rabbit, then padded to Redpelt's den, stepping lightly on her injured paw.

"Moonpaw, carry those thrushes to Redpelt and Skypaw. We can go with the evening patrol later." Raincloud told her daughter and apprentice. When Moonpaw had grabbed the two thrushes and also headed to the medicine cat's den, Raincloud walked to the warrior's den to have a short nap.

Blacksnow ordered Sunpaw to take some fresh-kill to the elders, and then clean out their bedding. Sunpaw moaned. "I hate that task!" he complained. "Lucky Moonpaw."

Lightpaw was set doing battle training in the sandy hollow with Wormwiggle, Starpaw and Oakpaw were taking a nap before joining Moonpaw on the evening patrol.

"Flamepaw, Skypaw needs help collecting catmint from Twolegplace, can you go with her?" Spottedriver asked Flamepaw.

"Sure."

"Good. Be back before it's night, please." Spottedriver requested. "Skypaw!" she called. "Flamepaw will go with you." Skypaw hurried over, but she looked doubtful of the non-clanborn cat.

"Well, let's go then." Skypaw meowed. "You can help me carry back the catmint. We'll need it in case any cat gets greencough this leaf-bare."

They set off, through Tallpines, till they reached Twolegplace. "The catmint is in this twoleg nest." Skypaw told Flamepaw. "Can you smell it?" Flamepaw opened her mouth and felt a delicious scent flood over her.

"Yes, I can smell it." she replied.

"Good." Skypaw jumped onto the fence next to the garden with catmint in it. "You keep watch for any kittypets while I gather the catmint." Skypaw told her.

"How do I keep them away?"

"Kittypets are stupid, soft cats who think we eat live rabbits for breakfast and grow to twice our size when we're angry. It shouldn't be that hard." Flamepaw still felt prickles of nervousness running through her as Skypaw jumped down to a catmint bush. Flamepaw padded to a place on the fence where she could easily keep watch on Skypaw.

Suddenly she scented a kittypet scent, and at the same moment a bush rustled behind Skypaw. Skypaw spun around and yelped with alarm as this fierce orange kittypet bowled her over and began clawing at her muzzle.

Flamepaw leaped down from her perch and landed squarely on top of the orange cat's shoulders. The kittypet hissed in surprise, his green eyes glinting angrily. "Get out of my territory!" he yowled, knocking Skypaw down and sending Flamepaw flying.

Flamepaw sprang to her paws and rushed at the orange tom, ducking his blow and raking her claws along his spine. Skypaw staggered and then joined Flamepaw, hissing and spitting while sending blow after blow to the large tom's ears. Flamepaw dived under his belly, pushing with all her might, leaving the kittypet gasping for breath. His flame colored pelt flashed in front of her eyes as he made a final lunge for Skypaw.

"No!" yowled Flamepaw. But it was too late. The strong orange cat struck Skypaw on the head with his outstretched paw. Flamepaw leaped on him and bit him as hard as she could, tasting the iron tang of blood.

The cat yowled and ran into the twoleg nest. Flamepaw turned and hastily examined Skypaw, seeing blood gushing from the wound on the back of her head. She darted forward and tried to press some grass over the injury.

She then lifted the bigger apprentice onto her back, and struggled back to camp. When she was several fox-lengths away she cried out, hoping some cat would hear her. A gray cat bounded toward her, followed by a brown and white one. Thank Starclan! It was Grasswind and Rushingwater!

"What happened?" meowed Rushingwater urgently.

"There was a kittypet, and he attacked us." she said, trying to sound calm.

"A kittypet did this?"

"He was very strong and big." Flamepaw let the two warriors take Skypaw. "But we need to get her back to camp, now!"

They rushed through the brambles to the camp, Grasswind scurried ahead calling Redpelt. Skypaw had not stopped bleeding, a steady trickle ran down the back of her neck. Her breathing was fast and shallow, when you could hear it at all. Just then Redpelt came rushing towards them.

"It was that fierce kittypet, Redpelt." Grasswind meowed. Flamepaw was confused. Had this kittypet hurt another cat before? "We should have sent a warrior with Skypaw!"

"Was it the same kittypet who killed Whiteflower?" Redpelt asked, while Grasswind and Rushingwater dragged Skypaw across the clearing to the medicine den.

"Yes. Was he orange with green eyes?" Grasswind asked Flamepaw seriously.

"He was."

"Flamepaw, get Starpaw and Oakpaw. We'll need help." Redpelt ordered. "Grasswind, tell Raincloud and Smallfoot, also tell Sunpaw and Moonpaw." Grasswind dashed away.

Flamepaw bounded towards the apprentice's den, waking Starpaw and Oakpaw and hurriedly explaining.

They quickly rejoined the medicine cat. Cobwebs were plastered over Skypaw's wound, with chewed up herbs underneath. Redpelt was giving orders to every cat he saw. Flamepaw saw Sunpaw run for water and Moonpaw and Smallfoot dash away into the forest to find Raincloud.

Flamepaw glanced at Skypaw. There was still blood running slowly down her back, and she was barely breathing. "Flamepaw, Oakpaw!" shouted Redpelt. "Do you know what horsetail is?"

"N-no." answered Oakpaw. Redpelt thrust a tangy herb in front of their noses.

"It's this." he meowed. "Now go find some, quickly!" Flamepaw dashed away, Oakpaw on her tail. Flamepaw skidded to a stop.

"Oakpaw, I think I've found it!" she meowed breathlessly. "Quick, grab some for Redpelt."

Oakpaw and Flamepaw nipped off the horsetail till they each had a mouthful. Then they dashed back to camp. Redpelt snatched it away as soon as they dropped it, pressing it gently against his apprentice's wound.

Raincloud dashed into camp. Smallfoot and their other kits were behind her. "Will she live?" she asked frantically.

"She's in the paws of Starclan now." answered Redpelt sympathetically. Smallfoot stroked his mate's ear with his tail. Moonpaw and Sunpaw watched miserably. "You should get some sleep. I'll call you if anything happens."

Flamepaw saw Raincloud open her mouth to refuse, but Smallfoot whisked his tail over it and walked with her into the warriors den. Smallfoot then flicked his tail at Sunpaw and Moonpaw, and they padded solemnly to the apprentice's den.

Flamepaw woke up to a shriek of despair. She jumped to her paws and rushed towards the medicine den. Redpelt was talking in low tones to Smallfoot and Raincloud. Flamepaw bounded towards them. Skypaw was curled up in her nest thrashing and meowing in pain.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Skypaw's wound is infected." Redpelt told her.

"Is that bad?"

"Very." answered Redpelt. Suddenly the little silver she-cat fell still, and Flamepaw could not tell if she was breathing anymore. Redpelt jumped, then leaned in, announcing that Skypaw was still breathing.

"What can we give her?" asked a new voice. Moonpaw stood behind her, her gray fur glistening in the moonlight. "She told me to use poppy seeds for pain, once."

"We can try." Redpelt replied. He ran to the back of the den, and grabbed five tiny seeds with his paw. "Here, Skypaw, eat this." Skypaw didn't, she was unconscious. Redpelt worked them down her throat.

"Have you tried chervil?" Moonpaw wondered.

"No."

"Skypaw told me it was for infected wounds." Redpelt's eyes sparked with admiration as he looked down at the little silver cat.

"It is." he meowed, happily. He applied a large, sweet smelling, fern-like leaf. In a few minutes, the bleeding stopped completely, and the swelling and pus were disappearing.

"You should give her something to help her breath better." Flamepaw put in.

"Yes, we could give her some coltsfoot." Redpelt padded back into the den, returning with a yellow, dandelion-like plant. "Smallfoot, help me get this down her throat."

Smallfoot helped Redpelt slide the leaf pulp down Skypaw's throat. A minute later, she began to breathe more slowly and more deeply. "That's good." Redpelt meowed. "She is still in danger, but she will most likely be fine."

Raincloud breathed a sigh of relief. Shifting her daughter lightly into a more comfortable position.

The next day, when Flamepaw woke up, she sprinted to the medicine den to check on Skypaw. The silver apprentice was still curled up in her nest, but she looked much better then last night.

Flamepaw saw Skypaw shift and glimpsed Redpelt in the back of the den, an herbal mix in his jaws. Flamepaw recognized chervil, coltsfoot, and poppy seeds. She hurried towards Redpelt, inquiring about how Skypaw was doing. "She's fine." Redpelt assured her. "I'm about to give her some herbs."

"Skypaw, wake up." Redpelt urged. "You need to eat these herbs." Skypaw blinked open her eyes.

"What herbs?" she mumbled sleepily. "Why?" Skypaw paused. "Oh, right." Skypaw swallowed the herbs. "This is chervil, poppy seeds, and coltsfoot, right?"

"That's right Skypaw." praised Redpelt. "Now you can go back to sleep. You need to rest." Skypaw closed her eyes again and drifted off into sleep. "Flamepaw, Spottedriver probably needs you to do things."

"Right." meowed Flamepaw. She dashed away to find Spottedriver. Soon after, she spotted her eating a shrew by a clump of nettles.

"Good morning, Flamepaw." Spottedriver greeted her. "You should go wake your den mates. Their mentors will be looking for them.

Flamepaw padded to the apprentice's den. "Sunpaw, Moonpaw, wake up!" Flamepaw prodded them with her paw. "Spottedriver said your mentors will be looking for you!"

"Alright, Flamepaw." groaned Sunpaw. "Come on, Moonpaw, let's go." The two littermates padded out of the den, as Flamepaw woke Starpaw and Oakpaw, then Starpaw woke Lightpaw.

As the littermates and Lightpaw emerged, Sunpaw dashed over to them. "Come on!" He urged. "Shiningstream is about to organize the patrols!"

"Why Shiningstream?" Starpaw questioned. "Maplestar is the leader, right?"

"Yes," answered Sunpaw. "But Shiningstream is the deputy. Deputies order patrols."

"I understand."

"Every cat! The patrols are about to be set." Shiningstream yowled. Cats began to gather around the deputy, warriors and their apprentices.

"What if we're not on a patrol, Moonpaw?" Lightpaw asked the little silver cat. "Then what do we do?"

"Your mentor will tell you." Moonpaw told him kindly. "Don't worry." Shiningstream's voice then rang around the clearing.

"Grasswind! Blacksnow! Smallfoot!" She looked at the warriors. "Take Oakpaw, and Sunpaw on the dawn patrol." The six cats nodded and darted through the gorse tunnel.

"Raincloud, Rushingwater, Sunnyfire, Wormwiggle!" Shiningstream addressed the warriors. "Moonpaw and Lightpaw will go with you on a hunting patrol." The patrol dipped their heads, padding out of camp.

Shiningstream then glanced at Starpaw, before she looked directly at Flamepaw. "Spottedriver, Tawnywillow." she meowed. "Take your apprentices to the sandy hollow for battle training please." The deputy of Thunderclan then went to talk to Maplestar, and they both disappeared into her den.

As Flamepaw followed her mentor to battle training, all the thoughts in her head made way to reveal the one memory that was shining the brightest.

 _Magic will rain from the paws of three cats when a smoke colored warrior rules the forest._


	5. Caught!

_The pounding of a river_ sounded in Flamepaw's ears. She blinked open her eyes. She was still in the sandy hollow, since she had curled up to take a nap. Flamepaw looked around her, trying to find the river. Then she spotted it. A swirling torrent, foaming black and gray.

Pitiful cries filled the air, and she dashed next to the river, trying to help the cats. Dozens of them were drowning in the smoky waters, and it expanded until Flamepaw was engulfed in the deadly water.

She struggled, trying to reach the surface. Water filled her ears, nose, eyes, and mouth. Choking and retching, she made a brave attempt to swim. Her long, sodden pelt dragged her back down into the dark water.

Flamepaw managed to push herself up enough to see a glimpse of what was above the water. A smoky-black cat was standing above her, green eyes glinting. "Goodbye, Flamepaw." the cat meowed. Then everything went black as Flamepaw was swept back underneath the relentless, surging river.

"Flamepaw! Hurry, wake up! She's coming!" _Oh no!_ Thought Flamepaw. _Was that awful cat a girl? Is she coming?_ But when she opened her eyes, all Flamepaw saw was Starpaw prodding her. "Come on! Spottedriver is going to get mad if she sees you sleeping!"

Flamepaw jumped to her feet. "Spottedriver's coming?" she meowed, distraught. "Will she keep me as an apprentice?"

"I'm sure she will, but hurry up! We're supposed to be training!" Starpaw wailed.

Flamepaw got up, shaking herself and feeling the exhaustion seem to melt off her body. Just then a holly bush trembled in front of the two she-cats.

"Flamepaw! You and Starpaw were supposed to be battle training!" Spottedriver emerged from the behind the bush. Though she sounded mad, Flamepaw could see amusement sparkling in her blue gaze.

"Come with me back to camp." Spottedriver ordered them. The three cats soon arrived back at the camp. Flamepaw soon spotted Moonpaw, and went over to greet her. When she got there, Moonpaw, outside of the nursery, turned to her with her blue eyes glinting excitedly.

"What is it Moonpaw?" Flamepaw inquired. "What's happening?"

"Tigerleaf is having her kits!" Moonpaw exclaimed happily. Skypaw, feeling much better, was sitting worriedly on the other side of the nursery.

"Is Redpelt with her?"

"Don't worry, Flamepaw. He is, and she's fine." Moonpaw assured her. "I just wish Fluffytail was here."

"Who's that?" Flamepaw hadn't heard of a cat named Fluffytail.

"Tigerleaf's mate." Moonpaw sighed, blue eyes full of sorrow. "He was killed by dogs three moons ago."

Flamepaw turned her gaze away. Just then, Tawnywillow emerged. Tawnywillow was Tigerleaf's brother.

"The kits have been born!" He announced happily. Flamepaw and Moonpaw slipped into the nursery to see them.

"Two she-cats and a tom." Tigerleaf told them wearily.

"Have you given them names yet?" Moonpaw asked hopefully.

"Actually, yes." Tigerleaf nudged the biggest one, a she-cat that was strikingly similar to her mother. "This one is Sweetkit."

Tigerleaf flicked the other she-cat, a dappled fawn-brown one. "She's called Fawnkit."

"What about him?" asked Moonpaw, gesturing to the smallest of the litter, a little smoky-black tom.

"I'm calling him Fluffykit." Moonpaw let out an audible gasp.

"A-are you sure?" she stuttered. Flamepaw remembered how Tigerleaf's mate had been called Fluffytail.

"Very." replied Tigerleaf calmly. Moonpaw just stared on blankly.

"Are you okay?" Flamepaw asked Moonpaw.

"Y-yes." she stammered. "It's just- Fluffytail was my mentor. That's why my mentor now is Raincloud, even though she's my mother."

"I understand." meowed Flamepaw sympathetically. Moonpaw ducked her head and padded away to the apprentice's den. Flamepaw did not try to follow her.

That night Flamepaw curled up in her nest. Some of the bracken shell was starting to get old. She also needed some more moss. _Oh well._ She thought to herself. _I can get some more bedding in the morning._ When she finally drifted to sleep, the peaceful blackness didn't last long. Soon she was caught in the frosty claws of a dream.

A huge smoky-black cat leaped on top of her from behind, and she staggered under his weight. "What?" she asked the cat. "Who are you? What are you doing?" The cat didn't seem to hear her.

Flamepaw glanced around her. The dark, mossy, shadowy forest wasn't the bright place she had met Violetcloud. She didn't have much time to think this over before the smoky cat leaped at her again. Pinning Flamepaw down, it was about to sink its jaws in her neck when she gave a strong kick, remembering her battle training.

The black cat battered her belly and tore out clumps of her fur. He sliced a nick in her ear. All of a sudden a wave of black crashed through her senses, and she woke up in her nest. It was only Moonhigh, Flamepaw concluded as she examined the sky.

Sharp pain stung Flamepaw where the strange black cat had torn at her fur. Flamepaw realized she was bleeding. There actually was a nick in her ear. _I guess I better see Redpelt._ She thought to herself.

As Flamepaw pushed her way through the night-dark lichen overhanging the entrance of the medicine den, she wet her paw and began cleaning the blood off her ear. "Redpelt?" she whispered. The medicine cat was fast asleep, and Flamepaw wasn't comfortable disturbing the grumpy medicine cat unless it was an emergency.

Flamepaw was about to turn and leave, when Skypaw lifted her head. "Flamepaw?" she asked quietly. "Why are you covered in scratches in the middle of the night?"

"Um… I nicked myself on the thorn barrier?" she hoped that Skypaw would understand that excuse, but the medicine cat apprentice looked at her with stern blue eyes.

"That's not what really happened. Is it, Flamepaw."

"No." she admitted.

"Wait here." Skypaw padded softly away to find some herbs. When she returned, her jaws full of tangy herbs including marigold, horsetail, chervil, and cobweb, she settled down next to Flamepaw.

"Now, tell me what actually happened." Skypaw said seriously.

"Alright." Flamepaw gave in while Skypaw began applying the herbs. "Well, I was in this…" Flamepaw couldn't find the words to describe the awful, murky forest she had been in. "this dark forest."

"A dark forest you say?" Skypaw suddenly looked intense, her gaze piercing Flamepaw's pelt. "Was it all shadowy and mossy?"

"Yes." she replied. "And there was this cat…" Flamepaw again paused, unsure how to describe this awful cat. "He was horrible, smoky-black. We fought but he was huge and powerful. He almost killed me, then I woke up back here."

"Did this cat… by chance tell you his name?" Skypaw whispered anxiously.

"Sorry, no."

"Well, Flamepaw, the place you were in is called the Dark Forest, which I knew immediately when you called it that." Skypaw then dropped a few poppy seeds in front of Flamepaw. "Eat these." then she continued, her blue gaze boring into Flamepaw's pelt.

"That cat was smoky-black, you say. Would that count as smoke-colored, do you think?"

"Wait, you're not suggesting that cat was the cat in the prophecy!"

"I think it's very possible." Skypaw snapped. A russet-colored shape stirred two tail-lengths behind them. "You've got to leave, Flamepaw. Quickly." Flamepaw dashed back out to the apprentice's den, and curled up again in her not-quite-comfortable nest, drifted back into sleep.

The next day, Flamepaw padded back from the dawn patrol, wanting to visit the kits, especially Tigerleaf's new litter which were now one moon old. When she entered the nursery, she saw Dawnstreak's kits well-groomed and sitting excitedly next to their mother. "Are they being apprenticed today?" she asked.

"Yes, any minute now."

"Well that's great news! Right Cloudkit? Crimsonkit? Windkit?"

"Yes!" they squeaked happily.

"I wonder who my mentor will be." thought Windkit aloud, her yellow and brown streaked fur spiked in nervous joy.

"I hope mine is Maplestar!" added Crimsonkit, with his soft brown pelt laid flat as it always was.

"Don't be silly, Crimsonkit." scolded Cloudkit. "Your mentor is going to be a normal warrior."

"That's what you think!" He shot back.

"Settle down, kits." Flamepaw calmed them. "You'll see soon." Flamepaw turned away from Dawnstreak's litter and turned to watch Nettlesting's. They were four moons, but bursting to become apprentices like their older denmates.

"Hi, Waterkit." Flamepaw meowed to the pretty little silver she cat.

"Hi Flamepaw!" she meowed, bouncing on her paws.

"Swiftkit! Bluekit, Goldkit!" She called to Waterkit's three littermates.

"Flamepaw!" they squealed joyfully. "Can you tell Nettlesting that we want to be apprentice's now? She won't listen."

"Sorry kits, but you know as well as I do that you have to wait till you're six moons." she scolded gently.

"Stop teasing!" squeaked Goldkit, her gold-brown fur spiking in anger. "It's mean."

"I'm just playing Goldkit, don't worry." Goldkit relaxed.

"Can you tell us a story, Flamepaw?" asked Bluekit hopefully. She stood close to Swiftkit, their pelts brushing in a mixture of blue and brown fur.

"Ya, Flamepaw!" pleaded Swiftkit.

"Alright." Flamepaw submitted to the four kits.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Flamepaw heard Maplestar's summons.

"Sorry, kits, maybe next time. Looks like Cloudkit, Windkit and Crimsonkit will soon be 'paws!" The kits rushed outside, their mother, Dawnstreak, following closely. Flamepaw padded out after them.

"Mommy, can we see the ceremony?" asked Nettlesting's kits.

"Alright, come along." Nettlesting and her three kits emerged behind Flamepaw.

"Can we come, Tigerleaf?" squealed Fluffykit, the smallest of the new litter. Fawnkit and Sweetkit looked at their mother with pleading eyes.

Tigerleaf sighed. "Ok, but stay next to me, you hear me, Sweetkit?"

"Yes!" Sweetkit promised, the most rambunctious of the litter. They also entered the clearing, and sat next to Dawnstreak and her kits. Flamepaw, Starpaw, Lightpaw, and Moonpaw joined the kits. Maplestar was just beginning the ceremony.

"Crimsonkit, from now until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Crimsonpaw. Your mentor will be Whitepoppy." The reddish-brown apprentice touched noses with his new mentor.

"Windkit, you will be known as Windpaw. Your mentor will be Greenstripe." The newest apprentice padded to touch noses with the black tabby tom.

"Cloudkit, you will be known as Cloudpaw. Your mentor will be Ravenwing." Cloudpaw spiked her white fur in excitement rushing to touch noses clumsily with her new mentor. Ravenwing looked just as happy as her new apprentice.

"Come on, Cloudpaw. Let's show you the territory." Flamepaw heard Ravenwing whisper.

"Okay." Ravenwing called to Greenstripe, Whitepoppy, Crimsonpaw, and Windpaw.

"You coming?" she asked them.

"Just a sec, Ravenwing." replied her brother, Greenstripe. Soon the new apprentices were heading through the gorse tunnel behind their mentors.

That evening, Oakpaw and Starpaw stalked a rabbit through the undergrowth with Flamepaw. The trio was hunting together, Flamepaw had requested permission from Shiningstream, the deputy. Suddenly Oakpaw darted forward, his tortoishell fur seeming to glow in the rich leaf-bare light. A minute later, her returned, dragging the rabbit behind him.

"Squirrels!" whispered Starpaw into Flamepaw's ear. Flamepaw opened her jaws to let the musty scent of squirrel fill her senses. Starpaw and her tracked the two gray squirrels. Startled when Flamepaw stepped on a dry leaf, one of the squirrels darted away. Flamepaw bounded after it, finally catching it. But when she looked around her, she didn't see the welcoming birches, spruces, and oaks of Thunderclan territory, but dark and shadowy pines.

 _Oh no!_ She thought. _I've crossed the border! I'm in Shadowclan territory!_ "Well, well, what do we have here." growled an unfamiliar voice. "A stray Thunderclan kit?" he snarled.

"Um… sorry, I didn't mean to cross the border." Flamepaw heard Starpaw and Oakpaw running up behind her.

"Well be more careful next time, kit." growled the tom. His brown and gray pelt spiking in annoyance. "Deputies trying to have some space shouldn't have to be chasing stray Thunderclan kits back into their territory."

 _I was caught by the Shadowclan deputy!_ "Please, Flamepaw didn't mean to cross the border. She was chasing a squirrel." Starpaw put in.

"Can we please go?" Oakpaw asked innocently.

"Well…" The brown and gray tom paused to consider. Just then a yellow she-cat with a dark yellow tail rushed up behind them.

"Ashbark, leave these poor apprentices alone!" the queen meowed sympathetically. "I could hear you growling from the camp! I left our kits with Russetpelt."

"Yellowtail, really? Fine, you can go." he then added to the three apprentices. "But stay off our land in the future!" Ashbark continued arguing with his mate, Yellowtail, all the way back to their camp.

Flamepaw sighed, thankful that nothing worse had happened. As she turned to follow her littermates, she thought she saw something in the dense brambles on the other side of the trees. A flash of amber glittered behind the bushes. _Who is that?_

"Flamepaw! Come on! You're still in Shadowclan territory." Flamepaw hared across the border to join Starpaw and Oakpaw. But when she glanced back she saw the same amber eyes gazing intently at her, and fear sparked like a nettle within her. As they padded back towards the camp, all Flamepaw could think about was the cat watching her. _What does he want with me?_


	6. Just Another Day

_It had been a quarter moon_ since Cloudpaw, Windpaw, and Crimsonpaw had been apprenticed. Flamepaw and her siblings had been in Thunderclan for a little over one moon now. Waterkit, Bluekit, Swiftkit and Goldkit couldn't wait til they were apprenticed themselves in two moons.

Flamepaw walked over to join Lightpaw by the highrock as Shiningstream organized the patrols. "Tawnywillow, take Wormwiggle and your apprentices on dawn patrol. Grasswind, you go too."

"Greenstripe, you can lead a hunting patrol, and take Whitepoppy, Windpaw, and Crimsonpaw. Spottedriver, you lead another one. Ravenwing, Cloudpaw, and Flamepaw go too."

"I will lead another hunting patrol, Smallfoot, Oakpaw, and Dawnstreak." Shiningstream paused to look at the warriors around her, and the ones waiting to be assigned tasks. Raincloud, Moonpaw, Blacksnow, Sunpaw, Sunnyfire, and Rushingwater. "Moonpaw, go with your sister Skypaw to collect sorrel and thyme. While they're gone, you can help Redpelt, Rushingwater." he dipped his head.

"Blacksnow, why don't you take Sunpaw to do battle practice." She paused. ''Sunnyfire, go with them."

The patrols were leaving camp. "Flamepaw, Cloudpaw and Ravenwing are waiting for us." Spottedriver meowed. "Let's go." Flamepaw followed her mentor through the gorse tunnel, feeling the prickly thorns scrape her spine, leaving brittle twigs in her pelt. She gave it a quick shake. One twig-bit hit Ravenwing on the nose and the young black warrior whirled around to face Flamepaw.

"Watch it, Flamepaw!" she raged, her black tabby pelt spiked in anger.

"Calm down, Ravenwing." Spottedriver ordered. "It's just some twig." Ravenwing smoothed the fur back down on her neck.

"Where are we hunting?" wondered Flamepaw.

Spottedriver responded, "by the Owl Tree." Flamepaw nodded. It would be newleaf in one moon, and the prey would still be taking advantage of the hidey-holes near the great tree.

When they got there, Ravenwing disappeared into some bracken fronds with Cloudpaw, planning to show her a hunting technique. Spottedriver was busy stalking a shrew, so Flamepaw dashed down to the river, which wasn't too far away.

 _What's that?_ A tiny scuffling sound echoed off the reeds in the dry river-bank. A heartbeat later, Flamepaw spotted a pigeon pulling up a worm. She stalked it, then made a spectacular leap, finally landing squarely on top of the pigeon and nipping the back of it's neck. The killing bite.

Another louder rustling made Flamepaw look up. A cat was hiding somewhere in Thunderclan territory. A flash of amber made her freeze. It was that cat she had seen a quarter-moon ago!

"Who are you?" she called. But nothing but the whistling leaf-bare breeze responded. "Why are you on Thunderclan territory?" Flamepaw demanded.

Still no answer. Flamepaw shook off the memories and fear. She cautiously picked up her pigeon and padded back towards the Owl Tree. She opened her mouth, trying to taste more prey. She then located a vole sniffing among the ferns, and later caught a chaffinch.

As the hunting patrol pushed their way through the bracken as they neared the gorse tunnel, Flamepaw looked around to see what their catches were. Spottedriver dragged a young rabbit, Ravenwing had a squirrel, and Cloudpaw had managed to catch a water vole. Flamepaw was still clutching her vole, chaffinch, and pigeon.

When they entered the camp, Flamepaw saw that the dawn patrol was back. Tawnywillow, Wormwiggle, and Grasswind looked up happily and scrambled to the re-stocked fresh-kill pile. Starpaw and Lightpaw were busy in the elder's den, getting ticks off of Bramblethorn.

"Are the other hunting patrols back yet?" Spottedriver inquired of Grasswind.

"No, but Greenstripe's patrol will be back soon." Spottedriver dipped her head to the brown and white warrior. Just then, Greenstripe's patrol entered, as Grasswind had predicted.

They had a few birds and mice, and added their catch to the fresh kill pile.

Greenstripe, Whitepoppy, Windpaw, and Crimsonpaw had returned, and a few minutes later, the next hunting patrol did, but they didn't have much to offer. Shiningstream set down her shrew and the rest of the patrol, Smallfoot, Oakpaw, and Dawnstreak, padded off to do their own things.

Skypaw and Moonpaw had returned, as had Sunnyfire, Blacksnow, and Sunpaw. Rushingwater darted relieved out of the medicine den, scraps of chervil and borage clinging to his fur.

Flamepaw noticed that Sunnyfire was looking plumper then usual, and Greenstripe was strutting around proudly. She snorted as Greenstripe passed her with his nose in the air and a defiant look on his face.

The next day, Greenstripe was sitting in the middle of the clearing, announcing that Sunnyfire was having his kits. Then he turned to Redpelt, "Should she moved to the nursery?" he fretted.

"No, not yet. Her kits aren't due for another moon, by the looks of it." He gave Sunnyfire a good sniff. "She's healthy enough. She'll move to the nursery in a quarter moon, alright Greenstripe?"

"Really, Greenstripe," put in Sunnyfire. "It's no big deal!"

"Rushingwater!" called Shiningstream. "Blacksnow, Grasswind, and Sunpaw will go with you, we need a border patrol. And, Greenstripe, why don't you go hunting with Sunnyfire, Ravenwing and Cloudpaw?" the black tabby warrior nodded.

Flamepaw decided to visit the elders and walked to their den. As she neared the entrance, she heard Marigoldpetal croak to her mate, Dandelionstem, "I can't wait till those new kits arrive. We can tell them the story about Flamepaw, Starpaw, and Oakpaw. Fluffykit, Fawnkit, and Sweetkit love that story." Dandelionstem meowed agreement. Flamepaw slipped into the den.

"Hi." she meowed politely.

"Oh, it's you Flamepaw." meowed Bramblethorn. "Can you tell Skypaw that I have cracked pads?"

"Sure." Flamepaw backed out of the branches and ran to the medicine den.

"Skypaw!" she called.

"Yes, Flamepaw?"

"Bramblethorn has cracked pads." Flamepaw explained.

"Here's some dock. Can you chew the juices out and dribble it onto his pads?"

"Yes."

"Take this marigold, too. It'll stop infection." Flamepaw nodded and ran back to the elder's den to treat Bramblethorn's pads. When she had finished, Flamepaw found she wanted to hunt with her siblings, Starpaw and Oakpaw.

Currently, the midnight-black she cat was helping Skypaw sort some herbs while Redpelt was visiting the Moonstone, as it was half-moon. "Lightpaw?" Flamepaw called. The brave brown tabby apprentice was soon beside her.

"What is it?" he asked. "Can you help Skypaw sort her herbs? I would like to go hunting with my siblings."

"Sure!" he said happily. A minute later, Starpaw emerged from the den. Flamepaw hadn't realized how mature she'd grown to be. Her pelt was sleek and well-groomed, and she was almost as big as Ravenwing.

"Hi, Starpaw!" Flamepaw greeted her sister.

"Lightpaw told me you wanted to go hunting with me and Oakpaw?"

"Yes." Starpaw nodded.

"Alright. Where's Oakpaw?" Starpaw asked.

"I think he's sleeping." Flamepaw told her sister. "I'll go get him." she ran off to the apprentice's den, and found Oakpaw sleeping inside. His tortoiseshell and white coat glinting in the frosty leaf-bare light.

"Oakpaw," she whispered. "Want to come hunting with me and Starpaw?"

"What?" he mumbled. "Oh, sure." Oakpaw dragged himself out of his nest, his paws numb with sleep.

"Come on!" Flamepaw urged. "Starpaw's waiting, and it's going to get dark soon." As Flamepaw led Oakpaw out of the den, she realized there was a light frost covering the ground. She shivered. Just as the three littermates pushed their way through the bracken on the other side of the gorse tunnel, a snow flurry began to fall. Flamepaw didn't care. She was finally hunting with her siblings again! Nothing could possibly go wrong.


	7. Assessments

_Flamepaw got out of her nest_. Her second assessment was today. In one moon she would be a warrior of Thunderclan. The last two moons had seemed to slip away before her eyes. So many things were different now.

Skyflight, Sunclaw, and Moonstripe had gotten their full names last-night. It was also new-leaf now, and Sunnyfire's new litter were one moon old. She had named them Antkit, Shadowkit, and Ivykit. Antkit was a tiny brown and black she-cat, Shadowkit was a dappled dark gray she-cat, and Ivykit was a sleek light brown tabby she-cat.

Waterkit, Bluekit, Swiftkit, and Goldkit were still kits, and were going to become apprentices soon. Maplestar was waiting for little Waterkit to recover from her bout of greencough.

Tigerleaf's kits, three moons old, were as adventurous as is possible. Fluffykit was almost as big now as Swiftkit.

Starpaw was spending almost all of her time with Lightpaw. Moonstripe had been mooning over Lakeminnow, a Riverclan tom who had joined Thunderclan.

"Flamepaw," Tawnywillow had joined her. Flamepaw hadn't realized how old the senior warrior was looking, and guessed he would retire soon. "We're starting the assessment."

"With what?"

"Hunting." Flamepaw nodded. Starpaw, Oakpaw, and Lightpaw were waiting for her, and she dashed off to join them. The four mentors addressed their apprentices.

"So, see Starpaw," Tawnywillow was meowing. "You're hunting by Snakerocks."

"Oakpaw, hunt by Twolegplace." Smallfoot instructed him.

"Lightpaw, you're hunting by the Owl Tree." Flamepaw saw Lightpaw nod as Wormwiggle told him where to go.

"Flamepaw!" Spottedriver's breath tickled her ear fur. "Are you listening? You're hunting by the Great Sycamore!"

"Oh, OK, Spottedriver." called Flamepaw behind her back as she dashed off to start her assessment. Spottedriver had warned her that this assessment would be hard, and she would have to catch a lot of prey cleanly and neatly.

Flamepaw stopped and tasted the air. A blackbird hopped in the tree branches overhead. She stealthily climbed the tree, wanting to impress Spottedriver as she secretly watched.

A starling flew into the air, shrieking an alarm call. _Mouse dung!_ Cursed Flamepaw, then she made a leap for the blackbird, catching it messily with a paw, and struggling with it till she could kill it.

Flamepaw winced as she caught a glimpse of her mentor's dappled pelt. _She just saw me make such a clumsy kill!_

Flamepaw headed farther into the undergrowth and heard a shrew scuffling in the roots of a bush. This time her catch was clean. She heard branches crack in the undergrowth to her right, and knew that her mentor had seen that kill.

Flamepaw buried her blackbird and shrew, so she could get them later. Then a thought popped into her head. _If I can catch a fish, Spottedriver will be so impressed!_ She dashed to the river and hovered over a shallow part.

A shape flickered under the water. _A FISH!_ She thought excitedly. She tried to hook it with her claw, but toppled into the river with a splash instead. _Fox dung!_ Flamepaw heard a snort coming from under a hazel bush on the bank. She'd show Spottedriver! Managing to swim in the tiny current, Flamepaw took a huge breath and dived under. She felt a slippery shape catch on her outstretched claws, and threw it onto the shore before scrambling up next to it. She then slammed it on a rock, killing it.

She had caught a fish! Spottedriver _had_ to think that was amazing! Flamepaw hared back to the Great Sycamore. Managing to catch two mice and a squirrel, just then Spottedriver emerged from behind some brambles. "Go back to the sandy hollow." she instructed. "Take your prey." Flamepaw nodded and went to collect all her prey, and jaws full darted to the Sandy hollow.

She was the first to return. She saw Spottedriver, and she gestured for her to put her prey in a certain spot by a birch tree. She set down her catch, two mice, a squirrel, a blackbird, a shrew, and a fish!

"You did very well to catch that fish, Flamepaw." her mentor praised her. "But who will eat it?"  
"Lakeminnow!"

"That's right! You might just have to catch fish everyday now for that grumpy tom."

Soon Starpaw and Tawnywillow pushed their way through the bracken into the hollow. Starpaw was dragging a rabbit, and her mentor carried a vole and a starling for her. "Thanks Tawnywillow," she mumbled, dropping her catch by an ash tree.

Oakpaw and Smallfoot arrived next, looking downcast. His face fell even more when he saw how much prey his siblings had caught. He dropped a scrawny mouse and a chaffinch by a fern clump.

"Sorry, Smallfoot." he apologized. Suddenly a loud rattling at the edge of the clearing made Oakpaw prick his ears. "A rabbit!" he exclaimed under his breath. He dropped into a hunting crouch and launched himself at the rabbit that had appeared.

A second later, he was dropping it with his other prey by the fern clump. "Well done." commented Smallfoot. "That will count for a lot."

The bracken rustled again, and Lightpaw slid in with Wormwiggle behind. He had two voles, a pigeon, and a squirrel. After he left his catch by the oak tree, he turned to stare at Flamepaw's pile. "Is that a fish?" he shouted.

"Yep." replied Flamepaw proudly. The others turned to see.

"Okay, now." meowed Tawnywillow. "You apprentices wait by the camp while we discuss."

"Alright." meowed Lightpaw and they dashed off.

"Congratulations, you all passed the hunting assessment." praised Smallfoot. "Now let's do the fighting one." The apprentices all filed out of camp after their mentors, and they began to fight.

"Starpaw, you're with Oakpaw." Tawnywillow instructed.

"And Flamepaw," added Spottedriver, "you're with Lightpaw."

"You can start." Wormwiggle told them. Lightpaw lunged at Flamepaw, but Flamepaw was prepared she dodged to the side then knocked his paws out from under him and leaped on his back Lightpaw tried to shake her off but she clung on tightly.

"Get off!" he grunted. Then her rolled onto his back, squashing his denmate beneath him.

"Lightpaw!" she meowed, muffled. She pushed as hard as she could, and Lightpaw started panting for breath. Then she sprang into a tree branch, and fell on top of Lightpaw.

"Oof." he growled. They tussled on the ground, then Flamepaw found herself pinned down by the brown tabby apprentice, but she couldn't shake him off of her. Flamepaw thought quickly then let herself go limp, and felt her enemy's grip relax a bit. In that heartbeat, Flamepaw sprang up with as much force as she could muster, sending Lightpaw flying.

"Well done." Spottedriver meowed. "You can stop now." Just then, Flamepaw looked up to see Oakpaw give Starpaw a hard kick, leaving her breathless.

Both assessments were over, and Flamepaw had decided to check on the kits before she went to bed for the night. She slipped into the nursery, and Nettlesting's litter sprang up to meet her.

"Hi Flamepaw!" meowed Goldkit. She was big enough to become an apprentice, but had to wait another moon for her sister Waterkit to catch up.

"Can you play moss-ball with us?" begged Bluekit.

"Ya, we haven't played with you in ages!" added Swiftkit. Flamepaw turned at the sound of a weak cough. Waterkit was huddled near her mother, tiny and thin. Nettlesting glanced worriedly at her.

"Bluekit, can you run to the medicine and ask Redpelt or Skyflight to give you some herbs for your sister's cough?" Nettlesting ordered. "Goldkit, go with Swiftkit and get a tasty shrew." the two big kits nodded and scampered away.

Flamepaw turned her attention to Tigerleaf's three kits. Fluffykit was very big now, and his smoky-black fur was spiked in excitement as he play-fought with his sisters Fawnkit and Sweetkit.

Finally Flamepaw meowed a quiet greeting to Sunnyfire, and admired her kits, who were one moon old. Antkit was up and about. She was very pretty, with a warm chestnut brown pelt and black paws, ears and tail.

Shadowkit slept next to Sunnyfire, her beautiful black dappled fur ruffled in the drafts coming through a small hole in the brambles. The kits other sister, Ivykit was also sleeping, her soft and downy brown and white tabby pelt bright against Shadowkit's dark one.

After Flamepaw had finished admiring the kits, she walked back to her nest for a good night's sleep. Oakpaw was already there, and Flamepaw could see Starpaw slipping out of the camp with Lightpaw. Soon Flamepaw was fast asleep.


	8. Warriors At Last!

" _Wake up, Flamepaw! Hurry!"_ Oakpaw meowed urgently.

"What is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Windclan has attacked the camp!"

"What?" Flamepaw jumped to her paws. She dashed outside where cats were fighting and shrieking. She recognized most of the cats from the gathering she had went to a moon ago.

Redwhisker, a big russet-colored Windclan tom, was tussling with Tawnywillow. Snowystar, the fluffy white Windclan leader, and Shiningstream were fighting fiercely. Flamepaw saw Seaweedlake pinning down Lightpaw, but before she could make the killing bite, Sunclaw and Starpaw knocked her off.

Maplestar was handling two big warriors single pawed. They were Darkclover, a black she-cat, and Windblizzard, a dappled dark she-cat. Silverclaw, the deputy, was fighting Lakeminnow, a now loyal Thunderclan warrior. Moonstripe and Oakpaw fought against Dandelionpaw and Sugarpaw.

Flamepaw looked around for somewhere to help. There! Greenstripe and Ravenwing were cornered by Runningmeadow, Monarchwing, and Riverrush. Flamepaw hared over to them and took on Monarchwing, whose kits had been apprenticed two moons ago.

Flamepaw kicked out hard with her hind legs, but Monarchwing was much bigger then her. Monarchwing pinned Flamepaw down.

Flamepaw remembered the trick she had used against Lightpaw and let herself go limp. Monarchwing's eyes glinted, and she relaxed her grip for a heartbeat. Flamepaw sprang up, pushing as hard as she could, and Monarchwing went flying.

Greenstripe had taken down Riverrush, and was helping Ravenwing drive off Runningmeadow. A yowl of terror then split the air. _Starpaw!_ Panicked Flamepaw. She dashed off towards the sound of the shriek, and found Snowystar tearing clumps of fur off of her sister's black pelt.

She darted in to help, but before she could reach Starpaw, a brown tabby cat sprang bravely in front of her, landing squarely on Snowystar's shoulders. Starpaw recovered slightly, and began battering her opponent's belly.

The two cats battled Snowystar, but who was the brown one? Lightpaw! He darted in and out, dealing blow after blow to Windclan's leader. Suddenly she staggered. Lightpaw gazed in horror, as blood flowed from her neck, and she fell still.

Silverclaw rushed over to his leader. "Snowystar!" Skyflight padded towards him and sniffed Snowystar.

"She's losing a life." she meowed solemnly. The battle stopped around them, all the cats staring at Snowystar unhappily, especially Lightpaw.

"I didn't mean to…" he began, but Skyflight interrupted him.

"I know you didn't. There's nothing you can do now." A moment later, Snowystar's body convulsed, and she slowly sat up. Maplestar padded over to face her.

"The battle is won. Go." Windclan streamed out of the camp, Silverclaw supporting Snowystar. Flamepaw heard Skyflight whisper to Maplestar,

"That was her eighth life, she's on her last." Maplestar nodded sadly.

"The battle is over!" she declared to her clan. "Redpelt and Skyflight will see to the injured. Who has the least injuries?"

"I'm fine." meowed Ravenwing.

"Me too." added Cloudpaw, and Windpaw meowed in agreement.

"The rest of you go get cleaned up." Maplestar instructed. Then she padded, depressed back into her den.

After a good night's sleep, and a day of training, Flamepaw was ready to retire to her nest. But she couldn't yet. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Flamepaw padded out to see what Maplestar's summons were.

Flamepaw went to sit by Lightpaw, Oakpaw, and Starpaw. "I wonder what's happening?" thought Starpaw.

"Lightpaw, Oakpaw, Starpaw, and Flamepaw!" Flamepaw jumped as her name was called. Then she looked at their mentors. "Wormwiggle, is Lightpaw ready to become a warrior?" He nodded.

"Smallfoot, is Oakpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes."

"Tawnywillow, is Starpaw ready?"

"Yes."

"And, Spottedriver, is Flamepaw ready." she nodded. "I, Maplestar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

"Starpaw, Oakpaw, Lightpaw, Flamepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." meowed Lightpaw strongly.

"I do." added Starpaw, shakily.

"I do." Oakpaw meowed boldly.

Flamepaw took a huge breath. "I do."

"Then by the power of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Lightpaw, you will be know as Lightpelt. Starclan honors your compassion and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior in your turn."

Lightpelt licked his leader's shoulder respectfully.

"Oakpaw, you will be known as Oakbreeze. Starclan honors your loyalty and skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior in your turn."

Oakbreeze dipped his head.

"Starpaw, you will be known as Starwater. Starclan honors your kindness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior in your turn." finally, the Thunderclan leader's gaze fell on Flamepaw.

"Flamepaw, you will be known as Flameheart. Starclan honors your Independence and Initiative, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan.

"Lightpelt! Oakbreeze! Starwater! Flameheart!" The names echoed warmly around the clearing.

"You will sit a silent vigil guarding the camp until dawn." Maplestar instructed. The four cats nodded and went to sit by the entrance, guarding the camp from all enemies.

The next morning Flameheart was woken by the sounds of kits squeaking excitedly. "I hope my mentor is Sunclaw! He's so brave!" Swiftkit was yowling.

"Well, I hope mine is Moonstripe, she's so calm and pretty." Bluekit shot back.

"I know mine's going to be Lightpelt! He's so handsome." Goldkit blushed.

"Goldkit, you know Lightpelt likes Starwater!" Swiftkit scolded.

Then Flameheart heard Waterkit's voice. "Well I know mine's gonna be Flameheart! She's the best warrior ever!" The other kits meowed agreement. Flameheart felt pride swell in her chest.

Maplestar had summoned the clan. The kits must be getting apprenticed. "Bluekit, Goldkit, Swiftkit, Waterkit!" The four kits scampered happily up to Maplestar. "Bluepaw, your mentor will be Oakbreeze." The new apprentice scampered up to the tortoiseshell warrior and happily touched noses.

"Swiftpaw, your mentor will be Lightpelt." The brown tabby tom touched noses with his new apprentice.

"Goldpaw, your mentor will be Starwater." The small golden-brown apprentice looked frightened, till Starwater's dark blue gaze calmed her.

"Waterpaw, your mentor will be Flameheart." The silver she-cat looked ready to burst with excitement. She bonked into Flameheart's nose and then sneezed.

"I knew it!" she gloated to her littermates. Flameheart smiled at the silver cat's excitement.

"Congratulations." meowed Greenstripe.

"Trust me, Flameheart, they'll be a pawful." added Ravenwing.

Greenstripe nodded his agreement. Whitepoppy meowed congratulations to Lightpelt. "I'm so proud of you." she whispered.

"Flameheart!" called Skyflight. "Before you take Waterpaw out, let me re-dress your cuts."

"I can do that." growled a gruff voice.

"Oh, right. Sorry, Redpelt." Skyflight apoligized.

After Flameheart had had her wounds re-dressed, she decided to take Waterpaw on a tour of the territory with the other new mentors and apprentices.

She enjoyed the way Waterpaw looked at each new landmark with awe. The Owl Tree, the Great Sycamore, the river, the gorge, Tallpines, Twolegplace, the Sandy Hollow…

When they finally arrived back at camp, Raincloud and Smallfoot were fretting near the medicine den.

"What's the matter?" asked Flameheart.

"Skyflight is sick." responded Smallfoot worriedly.

"She was fine when we left."

"Well she has whitecough now." Raincloud moped.

"Oh no!"

"Redpelt says he has enough catmint if it turns into greencough." Smallfoot calmed her.

"That's good." Flameheart sighed.

"Flameheart!" Starwater was calling. "Isn't Waterpaw going to do something?"

"What? Oh, ya." Flameheart padded over. "Sorry, Waterpaw. Um… why don't you fetch Redpelt some prey?"

"Goldpaw's doing that."

"Um.. right." Flameheart meowed, embarrassed. "Join the evening patrol later, and gather some moss for the elder's nests. Her apprentice nodded and scampered away.

A full moon shone brightly in the sky, casting silver light over the four trees. It had been four moons since they had come here, and Flameheart looked forward to her second gathering. Maplestar had brought Shiningstream and Redpelt, but Skyflight was too sick to come.

Flameheart, Starwater, Lightpelt, Ravenwing, Waterpaw, Goldpaw, Bluepaw, Cloudpaw and Smallfoot were there, as was Dawnstreak, Sunnyfire, and Nettlesting. The elder Bramblethorn had also come.

A yowl sounded from the Great Rock. Snowystar was speaking. "We have two new warriors. Dandelionface and Sugartail." Murmurs of encouragement sounded from Riverclan, Skyclan and Shadowclan, but Thunderclan was still mad at Windclan for attacking their camp.

"Sappaw, Honeypaw, Bristlepaw, Firepaw, and Redpaw have also become apprentices." Snowystar announced. "Prey is running well and there has been some Whitecough but nothing serious."

Lionstar of Skyclan was next to speak. "Prey is running well. Shiningwillow, Glisteningriver, and Dewclaw are warriors now. We are also pleased to welcome Stormpaw and Stickypaw."

Yowls of good luck sounded from below. "Isn't Stickypaw adorable?" Starwater whispered in her ear. Flameheart glanced at the ginger tom, and nodded.

"We are pleased to announce that Streakpelt and Bounceheart are new warriors." Swimmingstar was speaking. "We also have two new apprentices, Snowpaw and Winterpaw."

"Brownpaw, Marshpaw, and Swamppaw are excited to be here tonight." Stormstar announced. "Frogtail and Sageclaw have become warriors."

Finally, Maplestar stepped up. "We have seven new apprentices. Cloudpaw, Crimsonpaw, and WIndpaw, also Waterpaw, Goldpaw, Swiftpaw, and Bluepaw. Sunnyfire has had her kits. She's named them Antkit, Ivykit, and Shadowkit."

Then Maplestar looked down at the new warriors. "Thunderclan also has four new warriors. Lightpelt, Oakbreeze, Starwater, and Flameheart."

The gathering was over, and Flameheart looked around at the deputies from the other clans, hoping to remember them. Ashbark, from Shadowclan. Silverclaw, from Windclan. Mossclaw, from Skyclan. Plumstripe from Riverclan. Ashbark turned and glared at her. Flameheart flinched but then blinked at him as innocently as she could.

"Cloudfur, Starclan honors your courage and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."

"Cloudfur! Crimsonpebble! Windhawk!" cheered the clan. The three had been made warriors a moon early after rescuing Sunnyfire's kits from a dog.

"Yay! Go Crimsonpebble!" shouted Ivykit. Crimsonpebble was her rescuer.

"Ya, Windhawk!" yowled Antkit.

"Go, Cloudfur!" squeaked Shadowkit.

"Wait, Maplestar." meowed Tawnywillow. "We have an announcement to make. Rushingwater and I are moving to the elder's den."

"If that is your choice, then I respect your decision. Thank you for your service to the clan." Maplestar dipped her head.

Shiningstream was sending out the patrols for the new day. "I will lead the dawn patrol, Greenstripe, Whitepoppy, Dawnstreak and Spottedriver come with me."

"I will lead a hunting patrol, Shiningstream." said Maplestar. "Starwater, Goldpaw, and Ravenwing and you to lead another come with me.

"Smallfoot, I where hunting patrol. Take Sunclaw, Nettlesting, and Crimsonpebble."

"The final hunting patrol will be led by Lightpelt. Take Swiftpaw, Cloudfur, and Moonstripe."

"Finally, I want a border patrol along the Windclan border. Raincloud, take Windhawk, Oakbreeze, Bluepaw, Wormwiggle and Grasswind."

"Blacksnow, help Flameheart with Waterpaw in the sandy hollow." Shiningstream finished, padding out of the center of the clearing to talk to Maplestar. Flameheart heard the bracken crunch beneath her pads as she walked toward Blacksnow.

The swift, sturdy, night-black she-cat was friendly today. Her white paws shone as she went to call Flameheart's apprentice, Waterpaw. Birds sung loudly overhead, and the wind whispered to Flameheart through the ferns. Flameheart thought she could hear a voice, telling her something. She spun around to see where it was coming from, and found she was facing a bramble thicket at the edge of the clearing. A flash of amber glinted in the shadows beneath the bush. Flameheart plunged into the thorny tendrils, trying to catch this cat that always seemed to be there. When she emerged, very scratched, into the center of the bush, she was just in time to see a ghostly smoky-black figure melting away and merging with the shadows underneath the bush.

Flameheart dragged herself back out of the bush. She began to smooth her ruffled pelt. "Flameheart?" _Oh no!_ She thought. _I look like a disobedient kit!_ The cat was Skyflight. Flameheart let out a relieved sigh. Flameheart liked Skyflight and felt comfortable around the graceful silver cat, her eyes deep pools of blue. "What are you doing? You looked like you've been dragged through a bramble thicket backwards!" she exclaimed teasingly.

"Actually, I have." Flameheart responded, trying to sound cheerful and light, even though the shadowy figure was taking up all her thoughts.

"Why?" Skyflight looked at her, puzzled. Flameheart wondered how she could explain about the cat. His figure had appeared only a few times in the daylight, but he haunted her dreams at night.

"Well, um… I thought I saw something in this bramble bush, like, a pair of eyes, you know?" she meowed uncomfortably. "So I decided to investigate." Flameheart felt Skyflight deep blue gaze boring into her thick orange pelt.

"If you say so." Skyflight sighed. "Just think more in the future." She paused and looked around, finally spotting Blacksnow and Waterpaw waiting impatiently by the gorse tunnel. "I've got to collect some yarrow and horsetail, and it looks like Blacksnow and your apprentice are waiting for you."

"Oh, yes. Right." Flameheart had forgotten that Blacksnow and her were going to train their apprentices. Just then, Flameheart realized how exhausted she was. Spending her nights with images of the smoky-black cat was horrifying. She never got any rest, always feeling like his amber gaze was watching her intently.

"Oof." Flameheart exclaimed, her meow muffled. She had trodden into a hole, and her paw was aching like crazy. "Redpelt?"

"What is it Flameheart?" the old russet colored tom meowed grumpily. He padded over. Redpelt examined the hole in the ground, then surveyed her paw. "I think it's just a sprain." he concluded. "I don't want you training Waterpaw today. You understand?" Flameheart nodded, her swollen paw filling her with pain.

"Can you walk?" he asked. Flameheart tried to stand up, then with a yowl of pain, collapsed back down in the dust. The dawn patrol had just returned. Shiningstream, Whitepoppy, Spottedriver, Dawnstreak, and Greenstripe flooded into the camp. "Greenstripe!" Redpelt yowled.

"Lakeminnow!" Redpelt called to the silver and brown tom, who was sitting with nothing to do. "Come help me take Flameheart to the medicine den, I think she's sprained her paw. The two toms nodded and rushed over to their clanmate, who was now grunting in the effort of holding back yowls of agony.

Flameheart's apprentice, Waterpaw, rushed over too. "Let me help!" The tiny silver cat begged. Redpelt nodded to her, and once Waterpaw's mentor was lying in a nest of moss and bracken in the back of the medicine den, she scrambled to help Redpelt get herbs while Skyflight was out.

"It's just a sprain, right Redpelt?" Groaned Flameheart through clenched teeth. The medicine cat was busy thoroughly examining her paw. When he finished, he turned to her with an apology in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Flameheart, but it's broken." Waterpaw gave a shriek.

"Oh, no! Will she be better soon?"

"I'm sorry, little one, but it will be a moon before she can walk again." Redpelt meowed solemnly. "Moonstripe will help you train until she's better again." That was all Flameheart heard before she was swept over by a dizzying wave of blackness.


	9. Broken Paws and Rejected Kits

"Hi, Flameheart." A black she-cat was coming in and out of focus to the ginger warrior. Her pelt was damp. A slender silver cat with snowy-white, downy belly fur was sitting next to her.

"Starwater?" Asked Flameheart curiously.

"And Waterpaw." Starwater added. "We came to tell you that Waterpaw caught two rabbits today. Can you believe it?" Waterpaw was bouncing up and down.

"That's great, Waterpaw!" Flameheart praised her apprentice.

"Maplestar told me that I did really good!" Waterpaw exclaimed.

"Good for you." Flameheart answered. It had been three days since her accident, and she was feeling pangs of sadness that she could not hunt or fight or train her apprentice. Just then, a pretty silver tabby cat slipped through the entrance. "Moonstripe." Flameheart greeted the cat acting as mentor to Waterpaw while Flameheart was healing.

"Did Waterpaw tell you about her catch?" Moonstripe questioned.

"Yes, she did." Flameheart dipped her head to Moonstripe. "Maplestar's bound to make her a warrior in a few moons."

"Yes!" Waterpaw squeaked, jumping into the air.

"Flameheart? Do you need a poppy seed?" the voice came from the back of the den. Flameheart glanced down at her still swollen, aching paw.

"Alright, Redpelt." She agreed. The russet tom padded in with a tiny black seed stuck to his paw. Almost as soon as Flameheart swallowed the little poppy seed, she felt drowsiness clouding her vision. She was aware of Moonstripe, Starwater, and Waterpaw slipping out of the den, before she sank into sleep.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Maplestar yowled two days later. Flameheart limped out of the medicine den, leaning on her littermates for support. Fluffykit, Sweetkit, and Fawnkit were waiting by their mother. Flameheart blinked. They were becoming apprentices already? "Fluffykit, Fawnkit, Sweetkit, come here." she meowed.

"Sunclaw, you are a good, strong warrior. You will make a good mentor to Fawnpaw." The two cats touched noses serenely.

"Windhawk, you too are ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Fluffypaw." The black tom touched noses roughly with his mentor, and Flameheart saw Windhawk wince in pain.

"Sweetpaw, you will be mentored by Lakeminnow. He has proved his loyalty to our clan many times over." Lakeminnow dipped his head to his leader, before kindly touching noses with the frightened Sweetpaw.

Flameheart watched, remembering her own apprentice ceremony. She glanced at her old mentor, Spottedriver. Flameheart could see that her mentor was getting old. Shiningstream padded over to join Spottedriver. The two older she-cats talked together. Flameheart watched the new apprentices. They departed through the gorse tunnel with their new mentors. Sunclaw walked confidently, not afraid of the challenge. Windhawk still looked shaken by his hyper apprentice, but Lakeminnow was very gentle with Sweetpaw.

Maplestar got up, leaped off the Highrock, and meowed a quick word to Silverstream before disappearing also into the gorse tunnel.

"Hi Flameheart." came a quiet, friendly meow from behind the orange warrior. "How's your paw feeling?"

Flameheart turned to quickly to greet Skyflight, and stumbled, cursing. "Mouse dung!" Flameheart shook out her dusty flame-colored pelt.

"Beetle brain." Skyflight teased. She scooped up a passing tiny black beetle and scraped it onto her clanmate's head. "See. You are a beetle brain."

Flameheart growled in mock annoyance then playfully cuffed Skyflight over the ear with her good paw, before pawing the beetle off.

Flameheart decided to go see the elders. Maybe she could get a good story out of them if they weren't snoring. Limping, she slipped through the branches noiselessly and emerged into the elders' den.

"Flameheart?" croaked Marigoldpetal. "Can I help you?" Dandelionstem and Bramblethorn were asleep, but Rushingwater and Tawnywillow were sharing tongues on the far side of the den.

Flameheart avoided the question. "It must be pretty lonely being the only she-cat in here." she remarked. The blind elder cocked her head in thought.

"Ya, I guess it is." Marigoldpetal told her. I suppose Spottedriver will be in here soon, and maybe Shiningstream." she concluded. "But I know why you actually came here." The she-cat meowed with a knowing tone to her voice. "You want a story."

Flameheart purred in amusement, laughter sparkling in her mist-blue eyes. "Well, there was a time when Riverclan didn't seem to know about boundaries…"

It was sunhigh. Flameheart had recently come back to the medicine after Skyflight dragged her away from Marigoldpetal. Skyflight was annoyed that Flameheart hadn't stayed in the den.

Flameheart slouched, disappointed and upset with the younger medicine cat. Redpelt was away gathering herbs, and Skyflight was still mad. The fire-colored cat wished she had some company.

"Skyflight?" she meowed hesitantly. "I'm hungry."

"And I'm busy." the blue she-cat snapped. Flameheart sighed and sank back down in her nest.

Just then, Waterpaw exploded into the den, scattering some juniper berries and burdock roots and Skyflight hissed in annoyance.

Waterpaw had a fat gray squirrel clutched in her jaws. "I just realized you haven't eaten yet." she panted. "I went with Moonstripe and caught you a delicious squirrel." Flameheart noticed that the squirrel was a bit mauled and muddy, but she knew not to crush her apprentice's spirit.

"Wow. That's one tasty looking squirrel!" she remarked.

Waterpaw gave a squeal of delight.

"I climbed all the way up to the top of the Owl Tree!" she informed her mentor.

"Did you now?" Flameheart meowed with a spark of amusement in her eyes.

She bit into the squirrel. It tasted a bit bitter because of the mud, but she ate it, glad for Waterpaw's care.

Later, in the evening, Maplestar returned and called a meeting with her senior warriors. She had a serious look on her face. Maplestar led the way out the gorse tunnel again, Shiningstream following close behind with Smallfoot, Spottedriver, Blacksnow, Raincloud, Wormwiggle and Grasswind at her heels.

Flameheart cocked her head to one side trying to catch what Shiningstream was saying to Maplestar. "The orange one… big bush… catmint… in twolegplace…"

Wait, were they talking about the kittypet who had attacked Skyflight and Flameheart when they were apprentices? She hoped that he wasn't causing trouble again.

Wormwiggle disappeared from the clearing, the last of the senior warriors, leaving her in silence.

Flameheart sighed and flopped down in her nest. "Ow!" she meowed jumping up and landing with a wince on her injured paw. Blood dripped from a fresh scratch in her side. A big, sharp thorn was embedded in her moss and bracken. Stupid apprentices! They're supposed to take the thorns out! She thought.

Flameheart rummaged around in the herb store, grabbed a wisp of cobweb and some marigold and placed it on her wound. "You knew what to do." A quiet, slightly surprised voice came from the entrance to the den. A silver she-cat stepped out of the shadows, her dark blue eyes deep pools of thought.

"Skyflight! You're back!" Flameheart greeted her medicine cat friend. Skyflight set down her mouthful of dandelion leaves, and unwrapped a bundle of honey that was under her chin. Finally, she carefully peeled off the cobweb wrapped around her paw, careful not to break any of the delicate, thin strands.

"You did well with your herb searching, I suppose." She meowed.

"Yes." she meowed, seeming to be more kind then earlier that day. "Redpelt sent me back with his cobwebs, too. He wanted to visit the Moonstone. He hasn't been in awhile." Flameheart could see that the young medicine cat was trying to conceal her worries, talking in a carefree voice, but Flameheart could sense the tension coursing through her body.

Flameheart was suspicious, doubting that that was the real reason Redpelt had made the long journey to the Moonstone.

Skyflight was blinking, distressed, staring straight at the ginger warrior. Flameheart suddenly realized how transparently her emotions were showing. She tried to appear nonchalant, but Skyflight still looked uneasy.

Sunnyfire swept into the den. Her orange pelt was spiked in worry. "Skyflight, Antkit is coughing, and Ivykit says she doesn't feel well."

"What about Shadowkit?" Skyflight inquired about the beautiful little dappled black she-kit.

"Oh, she's fine." Sunnyfire said dismissively.

Skyflight looked surprised at the uninterest in the queen's tone about her smallest daughter.

"I'll come and check on them." Flameheart looked hopefully at Skyflight as she continued. "Alright, Flameheart. Bring me some tansy, honey, and a bit of catmint."

Flameheart nodded. She disappeared into the storage cleft, and dashed to the nursery to meet Skyflight, and Sunnyfire and her kits.

"Ivykit, come on." Skyflight was meowing patiently. As the brown and white tabby kit began to protest, the medicine cat meowed, "No! Honey doesn't taste bad." Reluctantly, Ivykit licked it up, but her expression of disgust quickly turned to bliss.

Antkit was chewing up a tansy leaf. "Can I have some honey?" Skyflight put some more on a leaf and pushed it over to the black and brown kit.

Flameheart turned at the sound of coughing. Skyflight shot an alarmed look at Sunnyfire. She darted inside and dragged out Shadowkit. Her dappled coat was matted, and her eyes were glazed with fever.

"Sunnyfire! Shadowkit is sick!" Skyflight exclaimed, glaring up at the orange she-cat.

"She is?" Sunnyfire said unhappily. At first Flameheart thought that the orange queen was worried about her daughter, until she meowed, "Take her out of the nursery! She'll get Antkit and Ivykit sick!" Sunnyfire meowed this with no care for Shadowkit in her voice.

"Sunnyfire, stop rejecting Shadowkit! I don't know what's gotten into you lately." Greenstripe had joined them, anger glinted in his eyes as her confronted his mate.

Sunnyfire snarled and stalked into the nursery. Ivykit followed her mother hesitantly, but Antkit turned to Skyflight and her sister. "I'll stay with you, Shadowkit!" she vowed. Her mother then darted out of the nursery and snatched her by the scruff.

Skyflight sighed, picking up Shadowkit. Flameheart followed the medicine cat back to her den.

"What's wrong with Sunnyfire?" Flameheart asked Skyflight as she padded into the den. Just then, Redpelt plodded in, looking very weary. Flameheart glanced at him suspiciously before continuing. "It's like Shadowkit isn't her kit." she remarked.

A flicker of alarm passed through Redpelt's eyes quicker than a lightning bolt, and a moment later Flameheart thought she must have imagined it. His voice was calm as he defended Sunnyfire. "My sister isn't mistreating Shadowkit!"

Sunnyfire was Redpelt's sister, then. Flameheart wasn't surprised, the two had similar coloring.

Once Bramblethorn had told her a story when she was an apprentice. Blaze-eyes and Russetnose had had three kits. Redkit, Sunnykit, and Cinderkit. When she was half a moon old, Cinderkit had disappeared.

Hawk feathers had littered the ground outside the nursery, and blood spattered the ground. Stagstar, the previous leader, had decided that a hawk had taken Cinderkit, and everyone had agreed.

Cinderkit hadn't been seen since.

'What did she look like?' Flameheart had inquired.

"I can't remember.' the elder had replied.

Now, she asked Redpelt the same question.

He was reluctant to answer, then finally confided, "She was dark, smoky gray, with amber eyes."

Flameheart drew in a sharp intake of breath. The cat I've been seeing. It must be her! She'd seen no other cat with such description, except for Fluffypaw, but he was no threat.

This made sense sometimes, in the brambles, across the border, in the bush… but not the dreams. That was some other cat. Not Cinderkit.

She blinked, puzzled.

Redpelt left the den. Flameheart turned to talk to Skyflight.

"I've been seeing cats." she told the medicine cat. "Well, just one I think. And it matches the description of Cinderkit perfectly."

"Only Cinderkit?" Skyflight pressed.

"Well, Fluffypaw too, but he's just an apprentice." she meowed.

"I've also been having dreams, but it's a different cat with the same looks." Flameheart meowed.

"Maybe it is Cinderkit, in Starclan. Watching us." Flameheart nodded her agreement. But she still was suspicious of the cat she had seen. She needed to be sure. Some way or another.


	10. The Prophecy Unveiled

**Chapter 8**

Clear, bright moonlight streamed through the leaves, dappling the pelts of a group of cats as they slid through the undergrowth towards four towering oak trees that stood in a dip in the ground.

At the head of the cluster padded a creamy-brown she-cat with gleaming hazel eyes. Maplestar was next to her deputy. The elegant silver-blue she-cat was eager to start the gathering.

Rushingwater walked next to Dandelionstem. Blue and dark yellow blended as the two elders made their way towards the gathering.

The medicine cats, Skyflight and Redpelt chatted about herbs, and if they should tell Crookedlegs about the catmint on his territory. Skyflight's silver pelt looked white in the brilliant milky light. Redpelt's Russet fur gleamed orange.

Of the apprentices, Maplestar had chosen Fluffypaw, Fawnpaw, Sweetpaw, and Swiftpaw. Fluffypaw's smoky-gray fur spiked in amusement as Sweetpaw slipped and splashed into a pile of murky-brown mud. Turning her brown pelt even browner. Fawnpaw stood right in the blast as Sweetpaw shook off the mud, and soon Fawnpaw's dappled brown coat was dotted with specks of mud. Swiftpaw calmly observed his surroundings. His brown tabby fur blending in with the various colors of tree bark.

The warriors came close behind. A tortoishell pelt slipped towards a silver one. Oakbreeze and Moonstripe. The golden warrior Sunclaw had also come. A dark brown tabby pelt nudged a bright orange one forward, Tigerleaf was helping to guide Flameheart, whose paw had almost recovered. The brown tabby Crimsonpebble and his sibling, Windhawk, a brown tabby also. Lakeminnow had come, though reluctant to meet Riverclan again. His brown and silver fur was prickling anxiously. The last two were a black she-cat with white paws, and a brown and white tabby tom. Grasswind and Blacksnow.

Soon, the patrol had reached Fourtrees. Maplestar gave the tail signal, and the group ran into the clearing, their paws spraying up clumps of dirt and mud. Flameheart lagged behind, but soon caught up with ThunderClan.

Flameheart watched as her Clanmates fanned out. Maplestar padded to say a word to Ashbark before leaping onto the Great Rock.

Flameheart studied the representatives from the other Clans. The dappled orange and black she-cat Monarchwing was here, and Runningmeadow, the brown tom. A black she-cat with white specks was talking with a black and white she-cat with dazzling green eyes. They were joined by a red-orange tom. "Hi Redwhisker." she heard the green-eyed one meow.

"Hello Darkclover." The WindClan cats were still talking so Flameheart tried to spot RiverClan.

A light gray she-cat named Purplepelt was talking to Willowsplash. A silver she-cat with green eyes.

Bounceheart, a russet tom, was talking to Creamswirl, who was a cream-colored she-cat with dark blue eyes.

Shadowclan streamed into the clearing, and Flameheart spotted a red and white tabby she-cat, and a pale russet queen with icy blue eyes. "Rosewinter, I'm going to talk to Streakpelt of Riverclan." The first one meowed.

"Alright Foxspring." Rosewinter replied.

Windclan's full patrol was Snowystar, Silverclaw, Mintstripe, Monarchwing, Runningmeadow, Windblizzard, Redwhisker, Darkclover, Sappaw, Firepaw, Bristlepaw, and Goatbramble.

Swimmingstar of Riverclan had brought Plumstripe, Firewind, Streakpelt, Creamswirl, Purplepelt, Willowsplash, Bounceheart, Winterpaw, Snowpaw, and Berrytail.

Shadowclan's patrol was Stormstar, Ashbark, Snowshadow, Foxspring, Rosewinter, Sageclaw, Yellowtail, Eaglepaw, Marshpaw, Brownpaw, Swamppaw, Sandkit and Quietkit.

Finally, Lionstar had brought Crookedlegs, Cinderstorm, Seasplash, Voledash, Lizardfeather, Sandflower, Stickypaw, Stormpaw, Orangeberry, Rosytail, and Glisteningriver.

Flameheart wondered why Mossclaw, the SkyClan deputy wasn't there.

"Cats of all Clans!" Lionstar yowled "Let the gathering begin!" He turned to Maplestar. "Would you like to go first?"

Maplestar stepped forward. "Cloudfur, Windhawk, and Crimsonpebble are new warriors." she announced. "Fluffypaw, Fawnpaw, and Sweetpaw are apprentices to Sunclaw, Windhawk, and Lakeminnow. Prey is running well. Flameheart broke her paw but is almost recovered and here tonight. Rushingwater and Tawnywillow have moved to the elder's den." she stepped back, flicking her tail to signal Swimmingstar should speak.

"Reedstem has retired to the elder's den also. Splashsun is our newest warrior. Whitewhisker is expecting, and Flowerheart has had Fishkit, Yarrowkit, Minnowkit, Larkkit and Houndkit." Swimmingstar meowed. " A twoleg came near our camp but Splashsun, Willowsplash, and Bounceheart chased it away."

Stormstar stepped forward. "Sandpaw and Quietpaw have been apprenticed to Yellowtail and Sageclaw. Eagleswoop has been made a warrior. Leafwind has two kits. Owlkit and Tawnykit. Russetpelt was killed by a fox though." he finished.

Snowystar was next to speak. "Parsnipwhiskers and Seaweedlake were killed in a badger attack." she meowed solemnly. "Sugartail and Dandelionface have had kits. Whiskerkit, and Weedkit, in memory, and Briarkit, Daykit, Badgerkit, and Twistkit."

Finally, the golden tom Lionstar stepped forward. "We mourn the death of Mossclaw. Cinderstorm is the new deputy. Cinderstorm's kit was taken from the nursery by a rat. We mourn her loss." Cinderstorm looked uneasy, but her eyes were full of grief. She was dark gray, with amber eyes. Cinderstorm's eyes locked with Flameheart's, and recognition passed between them. It was Cinderstorm who had been watching her. Flameheart let out a low growl deep in her throat. Lionstar didn't notice and continued. "Shiningwillow has given birth to Barkkit, Shrewkit, Volekit, and Squirrelkit."

The leaders jumped down from the Great Rock. ThunderClan cats mingled with the others.

Snowystar was bunching her muscles to make the leap to the ground, when a huge gray cloud covered the moon. All the cats gasped in horror. This was a sign from Starclan. A sign that they were angry. A flash of dazzling yellow light lit up the sky. Then there was Thunder as loud as a twoleg monster. The cats bunched together, not caring about Clan rivalries.

Flameheart stood transfixed. Every instinct was telling her to run, but she was frozen to the spot.

Something dark green appeared in the sky. Oakbreeze was watching it and turned to stare at Flameheart with horror mixed with excitement. A cat burst into the clearing just as yellow sparks exploded in the night. A black cat came to stand by Oakbreeze and Flameheart.

"Starwater? What are you doing here?" asked Flameheart.

"I came as soon as I could."

"How did you know?"  
"I felt it."

Bright pink lightning flashed high above them. Maplestar stared in awe. When the creamy-brown leader saw the three huddled together, Flameheart saw realization in her gaze.

Then five figures spiraled down to land on the Great Rock. A lean, wheat-colored she-cat came first. "Ryestar!" Snowystar exclaimed. A well muscled dusky brown tabby tom came after.

"Stagstar." Maplestar nodded.

A fox-colored she-cat came next. Stormstar dipped his head. "Vixenstar."

A plump well-fed silver tom came after. "Duskstar." meowed Swimmingstar.

"Juniperstar!" marveled Lionstar as a tiny gray she-cat landed.

Then the five echoed in unison, _Magic will rain from the paws of three cats when a smoke-colored warrior rules the forest._

"What is that supposed to mean?" Flameheart heard a sarcastic comment from Willowsplash.

The other cats said nothing. Ryestar turned and touched noses with Snowystar. Stagstar and Duskstar did the same to Maplestar and Swimmingstar. Vixenstar gave a solemn nod to Stormstar. Juniperstar leaped lightly down and pressed her muzzle against Lionstar's. Flameheart suddenly realized that the little gray StarClan cat was barely out of apprenticeship. Nine moons, at most.

The five StarClan cats faded into a swirling, dense mist. When the fog cleared, they were gone.

Flameheart's pelt prickled as she felt Maplestar's gaze. Shiningstream was watching the three intently.

Swimmingstar asked no one in particular, "What does that mean?" Flameheart wondered if her leader would tell the other Clans about them.

Maplestar scuffed her paws uneasily in the dirt. Swimmingstar's head snapped towards her like a magnet. "You know something." he realized. "Tell us."

Starwater, Flameheart, and Oakbreeze exchanged a glance.

Maplestar stepped into the center of the clearing. She beckoned first to Shiningstream, then to the medicine cats Redpelt and Skyflight. "Many moons ago," she began. "We received a prophecy. That same one we just heard." she paused. "We were told it by the original three, the ones who carried the message from StarClan."

"Who are these three?" yowled Snowystar.

"Where are they?" asked Mintstripe.

Maplestar beckoned with her tail to the three. Flameheart took a deep breath and padded forward with her littermates. "Flameheart, Starwater, and Oakbreeze are the three." she told the cats.

"There's nothing magical about them!" Goatbramble croaked. Flameheart saw Starwater wince, and a flurry of yellow sparks singed the top of the Great Rock.

"What was that?" asked some cat nervously. Flameheart recognized Rosewinter.

Before any cat could answer, another vision began. All the cats pressed back to the edges of the hollow as a huge, fluffy smoky-black tom cat jumped onto the Great Rock. He yowled. A vast amount of rogues, loners, and Clan cats alike flooded into the clearing. There was an awful battle, though no cat was actually fighting.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the battle between the spirit cats was over. Maplestar gathered her Clan and they dashed back to the camp, ready to spread the news.


	11. Into the Unknown

Flameheart shook out her paw. It was fully healed, and Redpelt had given her permission to start training Waterpaw again. New-leaf was beginning. Fresh green buds were appearing in the trees above her head. She could hear birds singing in the trees above her head. Two squirrels dashed in the treetops.

The ginger kittypet was still causing trouble. Cinderstorm, the Skyclan deputy, had dashed into camp with a torn ear, closely followed by Voledash, with Lizardfeather limping at the rear.

"The orange kittypet ambushed Lizardfeather, and we ran to your camp." Cinderstorm had dipped her head. "We are sorry for the intrusion."

Redpelt had noticed that they were badly hurt, though trying not to show it. He had insisted they stay till they had healed.

Now the three Skyclan cats were sharing tongues outside the medicine den. Cinderstorm perked up her ears when she heard Wormwiggle call to Swiftpaw, "Fetch Sunnyfire some fresh-kill!"

"I'll do it." she said hurriedly. Flameheart flicked her tail in surprise. _Why was this Skyclan cat so eager to see the queens?_ She shook off the nagging feeling of suspicion. _She just wants to be helpful._

Even so, Flameheart quietly padded after the smoky-gray deputy, and slid in the den after her. Shadowkit was back in the nursery, having recovered from her bout of greencough.

Antkit and Ivykit squirmed beside her. Cinderstorm gave the mouse to Sunnyfire. The queen turned a hostile glare on Cinderstorm. The deputy blinked sadly. Was that hurt Flameheart saw in her eyes?

Flameheart was about to turn and leave when Shadowkit woke up. The dappled kit turned to look at Cinderstorm. Recognition flashed in her eyes. Flameheart twitched an ear in surprise. How did this kit know Skyclan's deputy?

Flameheart uneasily left the den.

"Flameheart!" Waterpaw yowled. "Can we go hunting?"

"One second, Waterpaw. Let Shiningstream send out the patrols." she scolded.

The Clan was clustered around their deputy. "Sunclaw!" her voice rang out across the clearing. "Take Fawnpaw, Lightpelt, Swiftpaw, and Cloudfur and patrol the Riverclan border."

"Flameheart, can you take Waterpaw, Tigerleaf, Lakeminnow, and Sweetpaw and patrol the border with Skyclan and Twolegplace." she instructed.

"Ravenwing, lead a patrol along the Shadowclan border. Take Whitepoppy, Blacksnow, Spottedriver, Dawnstreak, and Greenstripe." Shiningstream meowed.

"I'll lead a hunting patrol, Raincloud, Smallfoot, and Grasswind, come with me. We'll hunt by the Owl Tree."

"Moonstripe, take Windhawk, Fluffypaw, and Skyflight. She wants to gather herbs. The rest of you, hunt at Tallpines."

"Finally, Oakbreeze and Bluepaw, hunt at Snakerocks." she finished, leading her patrol away.

Flameheart beckoned with her tail for her patrol to follow her. Waterpaw dashed to meet her. The little silver apprentice was eager to show her mentor her hunting skills.

Tigerleaf, Lakeminnow, and Sweetpaw followed close behind.

"Remember," Flameheart told Waterpaw. "This is a border patrol. Not a hunting one."

Waterpaw nodded then dashed away, tearing up the fresh New-leaf grass. Flameheart shook her head.

A few minutes later, Waterpaw bounded back to the patrol. Flameheart gasped in surprise at her apprentice's catch. She held a thrush, a blackbird, a squirrel, a mouse, and two shrews. As soon as she reached them she teetered and dropped her precarious load.

Lakeminnow leaned in to whisper in Flameheart's ear. "I think it's time Maplestar made that one a warrior." Flameheart nodded, still awed. Waterpaw had caught more in a few minutes then she had at her warrior assessment.

"That was great-" Flameheart was interrupted by a loud rustling in the bushes behind them. "You guys finish the patrol, I'll check it out." she told them. Then she slipped away into the gorse.

Soon she had picked up a fresh scent. _Skyclan!_ There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't put her claw on it. She scented ThunderClan too. _Redpelt…_ He was probably gathering herbs. And _Sunnyfire?_ Shouldn't she be with her kits? Maybe she'd decided to follow the Skyclan cat.

A rustling came from under a fern patch. Out burst a dappled gray kitten. "Shadowkit?" exclaimed Flameheart. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm following the cats." Shadowkit responded calmly. Flameheart sighed.

"Come along then."

Voices floated down to them. "I just don't know why you would do a thing like that!" Redpelt's meow reached her ear.

"Poor kit." Was that Cinderstorm?

"I'm just saying that I don't want her." Sunnyfire meowed harshly. Flameheart peeked through the brambles that separated her from these cats. Sunnyfire was glaring coldly at Cinderstorm. And Redpelt wore a numb expression.

Flameheart stepped out from behind the brambles. Cinderstorm gasped in surprise. Shadowkit trailed her. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Mom?" Shadowkit turned to Sunnyfire. "Why don't you want Ivykit?"

Sunnyfire blinked in surprise, then sarcastically meowed "Ivykit? I love Ivykit. It's you I don't want." She meowed coldly.

Shadowkit whimpered and sank back against Flameheart. "But I'm your kit!" she meowed desperately.

"No, you're not." Sunnyfire glared at her.

"Then who's my mother?" Shadowkit whined.

"I am." Flameheart turned to see who had spoken. She gasped as her gaze fell upon a dark gray she-cat. "I am your mother, Shadowkit." It was Cinderstorm.


	12. The End (Please Read!)

The end! Thankyou so much for reading! This is my first book! Please leave a review and feel free to give suggestions! Keep an eye out for Warriors Darkness Reigns, the sequel, or just search Flameheart88!


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